--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone of us is a potential convict." description: "\"Everyone of us is a potential convict.\" — Ai Weiwei" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png" --- # Everyone of us is a potential convict. ![“Everyone of us is a potential convict.” quote by Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png) > “Everyone of us is a potential convict.” [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everyone has the potential to become a criminal under certain circumstances, highlighting the thin line between lawfulness and transgression. **In simple terms:** Anyone could become a criminal. Key Takeaway Recognize the societal factors that lead to crime. Themes justice human nature societal pressure Mood critical provocative Type philosophical political When to use this quote - prison reform - education - community policing - policy making Key Concepts ethics law social control Questions to Reflect On - What conditions push people toward crime? - How can societies prevent criminal potential from manifesting? A Different Perspective Not all potential leads to actual crime; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Convict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convict/) [Convicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convicts/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [In Nigeria they convict by law, not by the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-kuti/in-nigeria-they-convict-by-law-not-by-the-truth/) [Fela Kuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-kuti/) > [I set it off with my own rhyme / cause I'm as ill as a convict who kills for phone time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-set-it-off-with-my-own-rhyme-cause-i-m-as-ill-as-a-convict-who/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [What can I do if everyone from the president to a junior bureaucrat is dying to convict me. If I am such a criminal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/what-can-i-do-if-everyone-from-the-president-to-a-junior-bureaucrat/) [Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/) > [I'm the only convict who couldn't get into Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/i-m-the-only-convict-who-couldn-t-get-into-australia/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [Our constitutionally-based criminal justice system places a high value on protecting the innocent. Among its central tenets is the idea that it is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/our-constitutionally-based-criminal-justice-system-places-a-high/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [“Of course, 85 per cent won’t be enough by itself to convict him, but it makes him someone you want to take seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-bolton/of-course-85-per-cent-won-t-be-enough-by-itself-to-convict-him-but-it/) [S.J. Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-bolton/) > [“The most honest man I bet I’ve ever known, I and met him in prison.” “The nicest woman I ever knew, and she took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-mckenna/the-most-honest-man-i-bet-i-ve-ever-known-i-and-met-him-in-prison-the/) [Cara McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-mckenna/) > [You could accuse Republicans of a lot of things, but you could never convict us of being too conservative!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/you-could-accuse-republicans-of-a-lot-of-things-but-you-could-never/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [“Every prisoner knows perfectly that he is a convict and a reprobate, and knows the distance which separates him from his superiors; but neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dostoieffsky/every-prisoner-knows-perfectly-that-he-is-a-convict-and-a-reprobate/) Dostoieffsky > [I'm enormously proud of being the ancestor of a convict. That's mad, isn't it, but I really am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-reid/i-m-enormously-proud-of-being-the-ancestor-of-a-convict-that-s-mad/) [Anne Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-reid/) > [“The witch-hunt narrative is a really popular story that goes like this: Lots of people were falsely convicted of child sexual abuse in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-cheit/the-witch-hunt-narrative-is-a-really-popular-story-that-goes-like/) [Ross Cheit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-cheit/) > [“Brother, these last two months I've found in myself a new man. A new man has risen up in me. He was hidden in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/brother-these-last-two-months-i-ve-found-in-myself-a-new-man-a-new/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [I've been a biker, I've been a convict, I've been a husband, father, and son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-chapman/i-ve-been-a-biker-i-ve-been-a-convict-i-ve-been-a-husband-father-and/) [Duane Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-chapman/) > [“Farragut's first visitor was his wife. He was raking leaves in yard Y when the PA said that 734-508-32 had a visitor. He jogged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/farragut-s-first-visitor-was-his-wife-he-was-raking-leaves-in-yard-y/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [No matter how corrupt and unjust a convict may be, he loves fairness more than anything else. If the people placed over him are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/no-matter-how-corrupt-and-unjust-a-convict-may-be-he-loves-fairness/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) ## More by Ai Weiwei > [I'm totally independent. I don't bear any responsibility to any system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-m-totally-independent-i-don-t-bear-any-responsibility-to-any-system/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/if-my-art-has-nothing-to-do-with-people-s-pain-and-sorrow-what-is-art/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [China has a rich history that has spanned millennia. It consists of the histories of many nations and regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/china-has-a-rich-history-that-has-spanned-millennia-it-consists-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/this-world-should-be-much-more-open-and-should-be-much-more-free-so/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/by-participating-in-the-society-we-live-in-we-understand-our/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-see-the-beijing-national-stadium-as-an-architectural-project-i/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I think we cannot have a double standard. We cannot see our art as different from the reality. We cannot use two different sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-think-we-cannot-have-a-double-standard-we-cannot-see-our-art-as/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [It doesn't matter where I am - China will stay in me. I don't know how far I can still walk on this road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/it-doesn-t-matter-where-i-am-china-will-stay-in-me-i-don-t-know-how/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/chinese-citizens-have-never-had-the-right-to-really-express-their/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/your-own-acts-tell-the-world-who-you-are-and-what-kind-of-society-you/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/our-lives-are-bound-by-physical-limits-familial-ties-political/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Now I've come to such a mixed culture: America, Europe, South America, Africa. And the politics are changing everywhere all the time and becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/now-i-ve-come-to-such-a-mixed-culture-america-europe-south-america/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I don't think it's worth discussing new directions in the context of Chinese art - there were no old directions, either. Chinese art has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-don-t-think-it-s-worth-discussing-new-directions-in-the-context-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) [Explore all 359 Ai Weiwei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## More Convict quotes > [No matter how corrupt and unjust a convict may be, he loves fairness more than anything else. If the people placed over him are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/no-matter-how-corrupt-and-unjust-a-convict-may-be-he-loves-fairness/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“Farragut's first visitor was his wife. He was raking leaves in yard Y when the PA said that 734-508-32 had a visitor. He jogged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/farragut-s-first-visitor-was-his-wife-he-was-raking-leaves-in-yard-y/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I've been a biker, I've been a convict, I've been a husband, father, and son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-chapman/i-ve-been-a-biker-i-ve-been-a-convict-i-ve-been-a-husband-father-and/) [Duane Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-chapman/) > [“Brother, these last two months I've found in myself a new man. A new man has risen up in me. He was hidden in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/brother-these-last-two-months-i-ve-found-in-myself-a-new-man-a-new/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The witch-hunt narrative is a really popular story that goes like this: Lots of people were falsely convicted of child sexual abuse in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-cheit/the-witch-hunt-narrative-is-a-really-popular-story-that-goes-like/) [Ross Cheit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-cheit/) > [I'm enormously proud of being the ancestor of a convict. That's mad, isn't it, but I really am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-reid/i-m-enormously-proud-of-being-the-ancestor-of-a-convict-that-s-mad/) [Anne Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-reid/) > [“Every prisoner knows perfectly that he is a convict and a reprobate, and knows the distance which separates him from his superiors; but neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dostoieffsky/every-prisoner-knows-perfectly-that-he-is-a-convict-and-a-reprobate/) Dostoieffsky > [You could accuse Republicans of a lot of things, but you could never convict us of being too conservative!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/you-could-accuse-republicans-of-a-lot-of-things-but-you-could-never/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [“The most honest man I bet I’ve ever known, I and met him in prison.” “The nicest woman I ever knew, and she took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-mckenna/the-most-honest-man-i-bet-i-ve-ever-known-i-and-met-him-in-prison-the/) [Cara McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-mckenna/) > [I'm the only convict who couldn't get into Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/i-m-the-only-convict-who-couldn-t-get-into-australia/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [“Of course, 85 per cent won’t be enough by itself to convict him, but it makes him someone you want to take seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-bolton/of-course-85-per-cent-won-t-be-enough-by-itself-to-convict-him-but-it/) [S.J. Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-bolton/) > [Our constitutionally-based criminal justice system places a high value on protecting the innocent. Among its central tenets is the idea that it is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/our-constitutionally-based-criminal-justice-system-places-a-high/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [“They even convict and execute the dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/they-even-convict-and-execute-the-dead/) [Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/) > [What can I do if everyone from the president to a junior bureaucrat is dying to convict me. If I am such a criminal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/what-can-i-do-if-everyone-from-the-president-to-a-junior-bureaucrat/) [Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/) > [“You can almost define a convict as one who lacks precisely the kind of wisdom and self-control necessary to derive long-term advantage from short-term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-can-almost-define-a-convict-as-one-who-lacks-precisely-the-kind/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) [Browse all 28 Convict quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convict/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone of us is a potential convict.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ai Weiwei" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Convict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/ai-weiwei-824_convict_everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict-23_2302468.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone of us is a potential convict.” — Ai Weiwei", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ai Weiwei", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everyone of us is a potential...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/everyone-of-us-is-a-potential-convict/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```