--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if we could act a little more according…" description: "\"“if we could act a little more according to common sense, and a good deal less according to fashion, we should find many things work easier;”\" — Anna S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg" --- # if we could act a little more according to common sense… ![“if we could act a little more according to common sense, and a good deal less according to fashion, we should find many things work easier;” quote by Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg) > ““if we could act a little more according to common sense, and a good deal less according to fashion, we should find many things work easier;”” [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Common sense over fashion leads to easier, more practical solutions in life. **In simple terms:** Use common sense, not trends, for easier life. Key Takeaway Prioritize practicality over fleeting trends. Themes common sense fashion practicality simplicity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - daily decision making - consumer choices - design thinking Key Concepts philosophy social critique ethics Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your life could benefit from common sense? - How do you balance style with practicality? A Different Perspective Fashion can distract from functional solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [According Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/according-fashion-1562158/) [Act Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-little-692779/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Work Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-easier-1325127/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/don-t-bend-don-t-water-it-down-don-t-try-to-make-it-logical-don-t/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [We live not according to reason, but according to fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-not-according-to-reason-but-according-to-fashion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have always wanted to act ever since I was a little girl. I would put a blanket under my shirt and pretend that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-fanning/i-have-always-wanted-to-act-ever-since-i-was-a-little-girl-i-would/) [Dakota Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-fanning/) > [“wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary—the world really would be a better place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/wherever-you-are-whenever-you-can-you-will-try-to-act-a-little-kinder/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [I've always wanted to act since I was little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanna-ubach/i-ve-always-wanted-to-act-since-i-was-little/) [Alanna Ubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanna-ubach/) > [I always try to act as though there is a little boy or a little girl around, and I try never to do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-garvey/i-always-try-to-act-as-though-there-is-a-little-boy-or-a-little-girl/) [Steve Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-garvey/) > [Only remember west of the Mississippi it's a little more look, see, act. A little less rationalize, comment, talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/only-remember-west-of-the-mississippi-it-s-a-little-more-look-see-act/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [If every person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-every-person-in-this-room-made-it-a-rule-that-wherever-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People around me tell me that I need a bigger persona and to act a little more A-listy because 'that's where you are but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nam/people-around-me-tell-me-that-i-need-a-bigger-persona-and-to-act-a/) [Eric Nam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nam/) > [“What I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience,” he continued, “is the sure knowledge that, in the future you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/what-i-want-you-my-students-to-take-away-from-your-middle-school/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [I used to act a little bratty but it wasn't on purpose. I just knew what I wanted and I was very passionate about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher-lloyd/i-used-to-act-a-little-bratty-but-it-wasn-t-on-purpose-i-just-knew/) [Cher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher-lloyd/) > [The harder we work now, the easier it will be later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-ray/the-harder-we-work-now-the-easier-it-will-be-later/) [Elise Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-ray/) > [The upper echelon of the movie industry is easier to deal with and the work is much easier to accomplish because of this generosity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/the-upper-echelon-of-the-movie-industry-is-easier-to-deal-with-and/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Sometimes a hard day's work is easier than a lot of things you can meet in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ledoux/sometimes-a-hard-day-s-work-is-easier-than-a-lot-of-things-you-can/) [Chris LeDoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ledoux/) > [“With every part you act, there must be a little of yourself in it. If there isn't, it's not acting. It's lying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/with-every-part-you-act-there-must-be-a-little-of-yourself-in-it-if/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) ## More by Anna Sewell > [My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/my-doctrine-is-this-that-if-we-see-cruelty-or-wrong-that-we-have-the/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“Now I say, that with cruelty and oppression it is everybody's business to interfere when they see it; you did right my boy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/now-i-say-that-with-cruelty-and-oppression-it-is-everybody-s-business/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [If a thing is right it can be done, and if it is wrong it can be done without; and a good man will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-a-thing-is-right-it-can-be-done-and-if-it-is-wrong-it-can-be-done/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“I had never heard that before; and so poor Rob Roy who was killed at that hunt was my brother! I did not wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/i-had-never-heard-that-before-and-so-poor-rob-roy-who-was-killed-at/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/do-your-work-with-a-good-will-lift-your-feet-up-well-when-you-trot/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives and merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/he-has-known-joy-and-violence-felt-the-warmth-of-children-and-the/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [Why don't they cut their own children's ears into points to make them look sharp? Why don't they cut off their noses to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/why-don-t-they-cut-their-own-children-s-ears-into-points-to-make-them/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“Oh! if people knew what a comfort to a horse a light hand is, and how it keeps a good mouth and a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/oh-if-people-knew-what-a-comfort-to-a-horse-a-light-hand-is-and-how/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/there-is-no-religion-without-love-and-people-may-talk-as-much-as-they/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [God had given men reason, by which they could find out things for themselves, but He had given animals knowledge which did not depend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/god-had-given-men-reason-by-which-they-could-find-out-things-for/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“Whilst I was young I lived upon my mother's milk, as I could not eat grass. In the daytime I ran by her side,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/whilst-i-was-young-i-lived-upon-my-mother-s-milk-as-i-could-not-eat/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“If they strain me up tight, why, let 'em look out! I can't bear it, and I won't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-they-strain-me-up-tight-why-let-em-look-out-i-can-t-bear-it-and-i/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [If you get into the habit of being quick it is just as easy as being slow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-you-get-into-the-habit-of-being-quick-it-is-just-as-easy-as-being/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/the-first-place-that-i-can-well-remember-was-a-large-pleasant-meadow/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [“My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/my-troubles-are-all-over-and-i-am-at-home-and-often-before-i-am-quite/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) [Explore all 50 Anna Sewell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) ## More Common sense quotes > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Below the 40th latitude there is no law; below the 50th no god; below the 60th no common sense and below the 70th no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley/below-the-40th-latitude-there-is-no-law-below-the-50th-no-god-below/) [Kim Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley/) > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [“It was true that common sense wasn’t her forte. It wasn’t that she was silly or stupid, but she heard so many more voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/it-was-true-that-common-sense-wasn-t-her-forte-it-wasn-t-that-she-was/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [In Raleigh, partisan battles, power struggles and lawsuits might grab the headlines, but we have to work together where we can. To look beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/in-raleigh-partisan-battles-power-struggles-and-lawsuits-might-grab/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [“Listen: Common sense doesn't mean what it used to mean." -Matthias Chalmers, STAIRWAY2 HEAVEN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-thompson/listen-common-sense-doesn-t-mean-what-it-used-to-mean-matthias/) [Chaz Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-thompson/) > [“when people’s brains are in defensive mode, it becomes harder to see common sense. Small disagreements can end up holding back progress beyond reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-webb/when-people-s-brains-are-in-defensive-mode-it-becomes-harder-to-see/) [Caroline Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-webb/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Browse all 1,942 Common sense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“if we could act a little more according to common sense, and a good deal less according to fashion, we should find many things work easier;”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anna Sewell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according-to-common-sense-and-a-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Common sense" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according-to-common-sense-and-a-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/anna-sewell-13394_common-sense_if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according_2555791.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“if we could act a little more according to common sense, and a good deal less according to fashion, we…” — Anna Sewell", "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": "Anna Sewell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“if we could act a little...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according-to-common-sense-and-a-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/if-we-could-act-a-little-more-according-to-common-sense-and-a-good/#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 } } ] } ```