--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't bring your morality around me…" description: "\"“Don't bring your morality around me. Morals is for people who's already got food.”\" — Adam Gidwitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/adam-gidwitz-18913_character_don-t-bring-your-morality-around-me-mora_1023873.jpg" --- # Don't bring your morality around me. Morals is for people… ![“Don't bring your morality around me. Morals is for people who's already got food.” quote by Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/adam-gidwitz-18913_character_don-t-bring-your-morality-around-me-mora_1023873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/adam-gidwitz-18913_character_don-t-bring-your-morality-around-me-mora_1023873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/adam-gidwitz-18913_character_don-t-bring-your-morality-around-me-mora_1023873.jpg) > ““Don't bring your morality around me. Morals is for people who's already got food.”” [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Morality is irrelevant to those lacking basic needs; survival precedes ethics. **In simple terms:** Survival trumps morals. Key Takeaway Prioritize basic needs first. Themes survival ethics poverty pragmatism Mood critical empathetic Type social philosophical When to use this quote - homelessness aid - emergency response - resource allocation Key Concepts social theory human needs Questions to Reflect On - How does scarcity reshape moral choices? - What support systems can alleviate this tension? A Different Perspective Morality can guide long‑term stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) ## Related quotes > [Before being humans with morals, people are mostly animals, fighting for domination and survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/before-being-humans-with-morals-people-are-mostly-animals-fighting/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [ \[F\]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gouverneur-morris/f-or-avoiding-the-extremes-of-despotism-or-anarchy-the-only-ground-of/) [Gouverneur Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gouverneur-morris/) > [When there is a lack of honor in government, the morals of the whole people are poisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/when-there-is-a-lack-of-honor-in-government-the-morals-of-the-whole/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [The most sure, but at the same time the most difficult expedient to mend the morals of the people, is a perfect system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/the-most-sure-but-at-the-same-time-the-most-difficult-expedient-to/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [When you have to start compromising yourself or your morals for the people around you, it's probably time to change the people around you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-have-to-start-compromising-yourself-or-your-morals-for-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ethics define what people ought to do; morals describe what people actually do. The difference between them is between the normal and the descriptive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/ethics-define-what-people-ought-to-do-morals-describe-what-people/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [The Americans... are almost ignorant of the art of music, one of the most elevating, innocent and refining of human tastes, whose influence on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/the-americans-are-almost-ignorant-of-the-art-of-music-one-of-the-most/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [The period of Prohibition - called the noble experiment - brought on the greatest breakdown of law and order the United States has known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-period-of-prohibition-called-the-noble-experiment-brought-on-the/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I don't get it, I feel that I'm a very nice person. My father is a retired Christian Baptist Minister, my mother is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-don-t-get-it-i-feel-that-i-m-a-very-nice-person-my-father-is-a/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [When you have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you, its probably time to change the people around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/when-you-have-to-start-compromising-yourself-and-your-morals-for-the/) Hemantsmarty > [If you ever have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you,that's signal to change the people around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnreyes/if-you-ever-have-to-start-compromising-yourself-and-your-morals-for/) [JOHNREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnreyes/) > [Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-carroll-of-carrollton/without-morals-a-republic-cannot-subsist-any-length-of-time-they/) Charles Carroll of Carrollton > [Many men without morals have attacked religion because it was contrary to their inclinations. Many wise men have despised it because it seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/many-men-without-morals-have-attacked-religion-because-it-was/) [Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [Act so as to elicit the best in others and thereby in thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-adler/act-so-as-to-elicit-the-best-in-others-and-thereby-in-thyself/) [Felix Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-adler/) > [“Jeg skal alltid handle slik at den regelen jeg handler etter kunne gjelde som allmenn lov.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/jeg-skal-alltid-handle-slik-at-den-regelen-jeg-handler-etter-kunne/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## More by Adam Gidwitz > [There is a certain kind of pain that can change you. Even the strongest sword, when placed in a raging fire, will soften and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/there-is-a-certain-kind-of-pain-that-can-change-you-even-the/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“In Hebrew, satan means an advocate of the alternative, the one who makes the arguments you don't know how to refute." Michelangelo looked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/in-hebrew-satan-means-an-advocate-of-the-alternative-the-one-who/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“Whoever destroys a single life destroys the whole world. And whoever saves a single life saves the whole world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/whoever-destroys-a-single-life-destroys-the-whole-world-and-whoever/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [Home is where you can be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/home-is-where-you-can-be-yourself/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“But Joringel had no chance to answer. For Jorinda ran at her brother and threw her arms around him and held him so tight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/but-joringel-had-no-chance-to-answer-for-jorinda-ran-at-her-brother/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“... They are to be stacked like logs, or thrown on a pyre, in the center of Paris,' Michelangelo explained. 'And they will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/they-are-to-be-stacked-like-logs-or-thrown-on-a-pyre-in-the-center-of/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [The oven became hotter and hotter, and Hansel began to sweat. Then a delicious smell wafted to his nostrils. Oh no! he thought. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/the-oven-became-hotter-and-hotter-and-hansel-began-to-sweat-then-a/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“And I read something else," Jacob goes on. "There was this discussion of the story of Cain and Abel, from the Bible. After Cain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/and-i-read-something-else-jacob-goes-on-there-was-this-discussion-of/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“She looked up, over the bandage that was nestled under her chin, and saw that the big-belly man with the red beard was starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/she-looked-up-over-the-bandage-that-was-nestled-under-her-chin-and/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“No matter how much wisdom is in a book, is it right to trade your life for it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/no-matter-how-much-wisdom-is-in-a-book-is-it-right-to-trade-your-life/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“When you are very pretty, people tend to remark on your looks. They smile at you more easily. They are more permissive of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/when-you-are-very-pretty-people-tend-to-remark-on-your-looks-they/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“There is a wisdom in children, a kind of knowing, a kind of believing, that we, as adults, do not have. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/there-is-a-wisdom-in-children-a-kind-of-knowing-a-kind-of-believing/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“Maybe you know something about young people, and maybe you don't. I, having been one myself once upon a time, know a few things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/maybe-you-know-something-about-young-people-and-maybe-you-don-t-i/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [There is this weird thing that happens, when you stop worrying so much about what other people think of you...you suddenly start seeing what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/there-is-this-weird-thing-that-happens-when-you-stop-worrying-so-much/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“He’s a child. But he looks like the kind of child who has seen too much of life, who’s seen more than most adults.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/he-s-a-child-but-he-looks-like-the-kind-of-child-who-has-seen-too/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) [Explore all 33 Adam Gidwitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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