--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If your negligent neighbor falls asleep…" description: "\"“If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth, setting his house on fire, he’s irresponsible and guilty. But you don’t wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg" --- # If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit… ![“If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth, setting his house on fire, he’s irresponsible and guilty. But you don’t want him to perish in the blaze. Nor do you want his house setting the whole neighborhood on fire. So you call in the fire department, even though it…” quote by Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg) > ““If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth, setting his house on fire, he’s irresponsible and guilty. But you don’t want him to perish in the blaze. Nor do you want his house setting the whole neighborhood on fire. So you call in the fire department, even though it will cost taxpayers money.”” [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He uses a fire analogy to illustrate why society pays for others' negligence to prevent greater harm. **In simple terms:** Society funds prevention to avoid larger damage. Key Takeaway Invest in preventive measures. Themes ethics public policy risk management Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical policy analysis When to use this quote - public safety - insurance - government budgeting Key Concepts externalities collective responsibility taxation Questions to Reflect On - Should taxpayers bear all costs? - How to balance responsibility and aid? A Different Perspective May overlook individual accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Fire department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire-department/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) ## Related quotes > [Celebrity is never more admired than by the negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/celebrity-is-never-more-admired-than-by-the-negligent/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Economists are generally negligent of their heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/economists-are-generally-negligent-of-their-heroes/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [You wouldn't think you could kill an ocean, would you? But we'll do it one day. That's how negligent we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/you-wouldn-t-think-you-could-kill-an-ocean-would-you-but-we-ll-do-it/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [I was a really negligent student.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/i-was-a-really-negligent-student/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [Celerity is never more admired than by the negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleopatra/celerity-is-never-more-admired-than-by-the-negligent/) [Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleopatra/) > [Because coaching is a challenge, it makes you want to come back. But if you do, you know you're going to be negligent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-drexler/because-coaching-is-a-challenge-it-makes-you-want-to-come-back-but-if/) [Clyde Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-drexler/) > [It is certain that, because the negligent do not struggle against self, they never achieve peace of soul or do so tardily, and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-ignatius/it-is-certain-that-because-the-negligent-do-not-struggle-against-self/) [Saint Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-ignatius/) > [Being negligent is irrelevant, why be hell bound when you can be heaven sent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-negligent-is-irrelevant-why-be-hell-bound-when-you-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A woman without hobbies is dangerously self-negligent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/a-woman-without-hobbies-is-dangerously-self-negligent/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negligent-is-not-far-from-being/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The more opportunities there are in a Society for some persons to live upon the toil of others, and the less those others may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-chydenius/the-more-opportunities-there-are-in-a-society-for-some-persons-to/) Anders Chydenius > [Let everyone who has the grace of intelligence fear that, because of it, he will be judged more heavily if he is negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-of-sweden/let-everyone-who-has-the-grace-of-intelligence-fear-that-because-of/) [Bridget of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-of-sweden/) > [“If things around you don't bother you then your surroundings are not perfect but you are negligent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashutosh-prithvi-kashyap/if-things-around-you-don-t-bother-you-then-your-surroundings-are-not/) Ashutosh Prithvi Kashyap > [Trust we have to, but never be negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/trust-we-have-to-but-never-be-negligent/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [Gross negligence cannot possibly have intent because it cancels it out. If you're grossly negligent, intent's not a factor, you are or you aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/gross-negligence-cannot-possibly-have-intent-because-it-cancels-it/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Alan S. Blinder > [“Don’t overstate your likely achievements; when in doubt, understate them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/don-t-overstate-your-likely-achievements-when-in-doubt-understate-them/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“One other important footnote to history: On Sunday, March 16, the same day that JP Morgan Chase announced its purchase of Bear Stearns and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/one-other-important-footnote-to-history-on-sunday-march-16-the-same/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“you don’t get far in political discourse with counterfactual arguments that “it would have been even worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse-with-counterfactual/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“The adjective “efficient” in “efficient markets” refers to how investors use information. In an efficient market, every titbit of new information is processed correctly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/the-adjective-efficient-in-efficient-markets-refers-to-how-investors/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“During a bubble, we often hear stories about how some grand new era makes previous valuation standards obsolete.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/during-a-bubble-we-often-hear-stories-about-how-some-grand-new-era/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“We humans, it appears, are prone to overconfidence, herding behavior, unwarranted extrapolation of recent trends, and contagious waves of wishful thinking—all key ingredients of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/we-humans-it-appears-are-prone-to-overconfidence-herding-behavior/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS AND STIMULUS Keynesian economics is based on the notion that unemployment arises when total or aggregate demand in an economy falls short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/keynesian-economics-and-stimulus-keynesian-economics-is-based-on-the/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“Why did so many smart people believe these laissez-fairey tales? It’s a good question. Some of the blame surely goes to the excessive faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/why-did-so-many-smart-people-believe-these-laissez-fairey-tales-it-s/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“John Maynard Keynes, the great British economist, died in 1946. But his ghost lives on. When economies around the world contracted sharply in late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/john-maynard-keynes-the-great-british-economist-died-in-1946-but-his/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [“John Maynard Keynes, the great British economist, died in 1946. But his ghost lives on. When economies around the world contracted sharply in late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/john-maynard-keynes-the-great-british-economist-died-in-1946-but-his-2/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) [Explore all 11 Alan S. Blinder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) ## More Fire quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth, setting his house on fire, he’s irresponsible and guilty. But you don’t want him to perish in the blaze. Nor do you want his house setting the whole neighborhood on fire. So you call in the fire department, even though it will cost taxpayers money.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan S. Blinder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep-with-a-lit-cigarette-in-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep-with-a-lit-cigarette-in-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/alan-s-blinder-40343_fire_if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep_244216.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth, setting his house on fire, he’s…” — Alan S. Blinder", "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": "Alan S. Blinder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If your negligent neighbor falls asleep...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep-with-a-lit-cigarette-in-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep-with-a-lit-cigarette-in-his/#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 } } ] } ```