"I don't know if you can change things, but it's a drop in the ocean"
About this Quote
Then comes the kicker: “but it’s a drop in the ocean.” The phrase is a cliche, but she uses it the way working actors often handle big feelings on screen - understated, almost offhand, which makes it land harder. The subtext isn’t “don’t try.” It’s “try anyway, and don’t flatter yourself about scale.” In a culture that rewards grand gestures and viral moral theater, she’s arguing for the small act that won’t trend, the effort that won’t be reimbursed with applause.
Context matters here: Walters is known for playing characters who survive systems rather than conquer them - women navigating class, institutions, family mess. That sensibility seeps into the quote. It reads like someone who’s watched plenty of “change” get promised, branded, and abandoned. The intent is modesty with a spine: keep your expectations low, keep your ethics intact, and let the ocean be made of drops.
Quote Details
| Topic | Change |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Walters, Julie. (2026, January 16). I don't know if you can change things, but it's a drop in the ocean. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-if-you-can-change-things-but-its-a-137209/
Chicago Style
Walters, Julie. "I don't know if you can change things, but it's a drop in the ocean." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-if-you-can-change-things-but-its-a-137209/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't know if you can change things, but it's a drop in the ocean." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-if-you-can-change-things-but-its-a-137209/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.








