--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The startling truth is that our best…" description: "\"“The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil rights, international peace, population control, conservation of natural resources, and assista..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg" --- # The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil… ![“The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil rights, international peace, population control, conservation of natural resources, and assistance to the starving of the earth—urgent as they are—will destroy rather than help if made in the present spirit. For, as things stand, we have…” quote by Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg) > ““The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil rights, international peace, population control, conservation of natural resources, and assistance to the starving of the earth—urgent as they are—will destroy rather than help if made in the present spirit. For, as things stand, we have nothing to give. If our own riches and our own way of life are not enjoyed here, they will not be enjoyed anywhere else. Certainly they will supply the immediate jolt of energy and hope that methedrine, and similar drugs, give in extreme fatigue. But peace can be made only by those who are peaceful, and love can be shown only by those who love. No work of love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.”” [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that well‑intentioned efforts in social and environmental causes can backfire if driven by selfish motives and lack of genuine compassion. **In simple terms:** Good intentions can cause harm without true love. Key Takeaway Cultivate authentic compassion. Themes ethics environment social justice Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - activism - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your activism? - How can love guide effective action? A Different Perspective Good intentions may be insufficient without inner change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [International peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-peace/) [Living now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-now/) [Natural resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-resources/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peaceful Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful-love/) [Plans For The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans-for-the-future/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“But peace can be made only by those who are peaceful, and love can be shown only by those who love. No work of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/but-peace-can-be-made-only-by-those-who-are-peaceful-and-love-can-be/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [No work or love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/no-work-or-love-will-flourish-out-of-guilt-fear-or-hollowness-of/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/no-valid-plans-for-the-future-can-be-made-by-those-who-have-no/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Remember that you will create peace only when you are peaceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/remember-that-you-will-create-peace-only-when-you-are-peaceful/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“If you want kindness from others, be kind. If you want love from others, be loving. If you want peace from others, be peaceful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-d-greenwell/if-you-want-kindness-from-others-be-kind-if-you-want-love-from-others/) Rachel D. Greenwell > [“The path towards peace is not for the righteous, the ethical, the active and the compassionate to shit on the malicious, the complacent, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilyas-kassam/the-path-towards-peace-is-not-for-the-righteous-the-ethical-the/) [Ilyas Kassam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilyas-kassam/) > [I believe in peace. Only peaceful co-existence can ensure peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheikh-hasina/i-believe-in-peace-only-peaceful-co-existence-can-ensure-peace/) [Sheikh Hasina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheikh-hasina/) > [Any nation that decides the only way to achieve peace is through peaceful means is a nation that will soon be a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/any-nation-that-decides-the-only-way-to-achieve-peace-is-through/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Let dangers go; thy war shall be with me, But such a war, as breaks no bonds of peace. Speak thou fair words, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kyd/let-dangers-go-thy-war-shall-be-with-me-but-such-a-war-as-breaks-no/) [Thomas Kyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kyd/) > [You get World Peace through Inner Peace. If you've got a world full of people who have Inner Peace, then you have a Peaceful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-get-world-peace-through-inner-peace-if-you-ve-got-a-world-full-of/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [We believe in peace and peaceful development, not only for ourselves but for people all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lal-bahadur-shastri/we-believe-in-peace-and-peaceful-development-not-only-for-ourselves/) [Lal Bahadur Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lal-bahadur-shastri/) > [When you choose to perceive love over fear, life begins to flow. You feel peaceful and you see love in all situations. Your hang-ups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/when-you-choose-to-perceive-love-over-fear-life-begins-to-flow-you/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“Love without peace will leave you with nothing but chaos. A peaceful love cannot exist without balance and respect. Expect nothing and your spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle-smith/love-without-peace-will-leave-you-with-nothing-but-chaos-a-peaceful/) [Alexandra Elle Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle-smith/) > [Love is something to show u care, love is here love is there, love is peaceful, love is kind just knowing ur forever mine :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-something-to-show-u-care-love-is-here-love-is-there-love-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/this-is-what-my-soul-is-telling-me-be-peaceful-and-love-everyone/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) ## More by Alan Wilson Watts > [“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/advice-i-don-t-have-advice-stop-aspiring-and-start-writing-if-you-re/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“The common mistake of the religious celibate has been to suppose that the highest spiritual life absolutely demands the renunciation of sexuality, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-common-mistake-of-the-religious-celibate-has-been-to-suppose-that/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Real freedom cannot exist alongside false freedom, but the abandonment of false freedom looks as if it would leave you as good as dead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/real-freedom-cannot-exist-alongside-false-freedom-but-the-abandonment/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“But it is not that you are something which is just watching what happens. “What happens” is just using your organism to watch itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/but-it-is-not-that-you-are-something-which-is-just-watching-what/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Read Theodore Schwenk’s marvelous book Sensitive Chaos (London, Rudolph Steiner Press, 1965),”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/read-theodore-schwenk-s-marvelous-book-sensitive-chaos-london-rudolph/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Idolatry is not the use of images, but confusing them with what they represent, and in this respect mental images and lofty abstractions can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/idolatry-is-not-the-use-of-images-but-confusing-them-with-what-they/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“The more we accustom ourselves to understanding the present in terms of memory, the unknown by the known, the living by the dead, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-more-we-accustom-ourselves-to-understanding-the-present-in-terms/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“We do not dance to reach a certain point on the floor, but simply to dance. Energy itself, as William Blake said, is eternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/we-do-not-dance-to-reach-a-certain-point-on-the-floor-but-simply-to/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Thought and science are therefore raising problems which their terms of study can never answer, many of which are doubtless problems only for thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/thought-and-science-are-therefore-raising-problems-which-their-terms/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“But this is at the same time a vivid way of saying that your soul, or rather your essential Self, is the whole cosmos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/but-this-is-at-the-same-time-a-vivid-way-of-saying-that-your-soul-or/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“When you no longer make the distinction between the universe and how you are acting upon it, you are really on your own and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/when-you-no-longer-make-the-distinction-between-the-universe-and-how/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“My death will be the disappearance of a particular pattern in the water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/my-death-will-be-the-disappearance-of-a-particular-pattern-in-the/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“I have always thought that all philosophical debates are ultimately between the partisans of structure and the partisans of "goo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/i-have-always-thought-that-all-philosophical-debates-are-ultimately/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“We are living in a culture entirely hypnotized by the illusion of time, in which the so-called present moment is felt as nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/we-are-living-in-a-culture-entirely-hypnotized-by-the-illusion-of/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Where there is to be creative action, it is quite beside the point to discuss what we should or should not do in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/where-there-is-to-be-creative-action-it-is-quite-beside-the-point-to/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) [Explore all 106 Alan Wilson Watts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil rights, international peace, population control, conservation of natural resources, and assistance to the starving of the earth—urgent as they are—will destroy rather than help if made in the present spirit. For, as things stand, we have nothing to give. If our own riches and our own way of life are not enjoyed here, they will not be enjoyed anywhere else. Certainly they will supply the immediate jolt of energy and hope that methedrine, and similar drugs, give in extreme fatigue. But peace can be made only by those who are peaceful, and love can be shown only by those who love. No work of love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Wilson Watts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-efforts-for-civil-rights/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-efforts-for-civil-rights/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/alan-wilson-watts-4665_civil-rights_the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-eff_578529.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The startling truth is that our best efforts for civil rights, international peace, population control…” — Alan Wilson Watts", "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 Wilson Watts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The startling truth is that our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-efforts-for-civil-rights/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-startling-truth-is-that-our-best-efforts-for-civil-rights/#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 } } ] } ```