--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If pimps and thieves were invariably…" description: "\"“If pimps and thieves were invariably sen­tenced, all decent people would get to thinking they themselves were constantly innocent, cher mon­sieur. And..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg" --- # If pimps and thieves were invariably sen­tenced, all… ![“If pimps and thieves were invariably sen­tenced, all decent people would get to thinking they themselves were constantly innocent, cher mon­sieur. And in my opinion—all right, all right, I’m coming!—that’s what must be avoided above all. Otherwise, everything would be just a joke.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg) > ““If pimps and thieves were invariably sen­tenced, all decent people would get to thinking they themselves were constantly innocent, cher mon­sieur. And in my opinion—all right, all right, I’m coming!—that’s what must be avoided above all. Otherwise, everything would be just a joke.”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If everyone were punished equally, people would think they are always innocent, making life a farce. **In simple terms:** Equal punishment leads to false innocence and absurdity. Key Takeaway Consider fairness in justice systems. Themes justice morality irony Mood skeptical ironic Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - Legal reform - public policy - personal accountability - media critique Key Concepts Ethical relativism social perception Questions to Reflect On - Is equal punishment truly fair? - How does perception of innocence affect behavior? A Different Perspective Overly uniform punishment can be unjust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constantly Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constantly-innocent-4500993/) [Decent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-people/) [Innocent Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-cher-4500994/) [Pimps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pimps/) [Pimps Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pimps-thieves-1931823/) [Thieves Invariably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves-invariably-4500995/) ## Related quotes > [“If pimps and thieves were invariably sentenced, all decent people would get to thinking they themselves were constantly innocent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sentenced-all-decent-people/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [If pimps and thieves everywhere were always punished, honest people would all believe themselves always to be innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/if-pimps-and-thieves-everywhere-were-always-punished-honest-people/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We had borrowed some gang bosses’ cars and thus we looked like an army of pimps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-had-borrowed-some-gang-bosses-cars-and-thus-we-looked-like-an-army/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's colder than a pimps heart out here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-colder-than-a-pimps-heart-out-here/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“there are two races of men in this world, but only these two - the "race" of the decent man and the "race" of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-two-races-of-men-in-this-world-but-only-these-two-the-race-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not all guys want SEX, bcoz some of them want a RELATIONSHIP. Not all guys want black ops, bcoz loving you is more fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-all-guys-want-sex-bcoz-some-of-them-want-a-relationship-not-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Decent people should ignore politics, if only they could be confident that politics would ignore them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/decent-people-should-ignore-politics-if-only-they-could-be-confident/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone has favorite criminals. Mine are pimps. We can all rob a bank; we can all sell drugs. Being a pimp is a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/everyone-has-favorite-criminals-mine-are-pimps-we-can-all-rob-a-bank/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Every age, race, socio-economic background of men are 'johns.' It's a little more complicated who's doing the selling. The truth is that the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-lloyd/every-age-race-socio-economic-background-of-men-are-johns-it-s-a/) [Rachel Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-lloyd/) > [“Maybe they were all either pimps or whores. Maybe it was life’s classifying principle, maybe I had seen the eternal Footman hold my coat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/maybe-they-were-all-either-pimps-or-whores-maybe-it-was-life-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [Pimps see (C) the wings on the underground kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/pimps-see-c-the-wings-on-the-underground-kings/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [“But why give a man something it's so hard to earn? In that respect women are really thick. They're the daughters of rigidity. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/but-why-give-a-man-something-it-s-so-hard-to-earn-in-that-respect/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“What hand is holding the voting "trump card" that sold the peoples' souls? It starts with a knowledge of truth and the purpose that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-bond/what-hand-is-holding-the-voting-trump-card-that-sold-the-peoples/) [Tracey Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-bond/) > [Golf is a game where white men can dress up as black pimps and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/golf-is-a-game-where-white-men-can-dress-up-as-black-pimps-and-get/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“Oh God, you’re one of those pimps that takes girls off the streets and gets them addicted to drugs and turns them into prostitutes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/oh-god-you-re-one-of-those-pimps-that-takes-girls-off-the-streets-and/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Decent people quotes > [I guess the only thing to do now is meet his parents. I'm sure they're decent people. I mean they gotta be if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-guess-the-only-thing-to-do-now-is-meet-his-parents-i-m-sure-they-re/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [“Experience often repeated, truly bitter experience, had taught him long ago that with decent people, especially Moscow people -- always slow to move and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/experience-often-repeated-truly-bitter-experience-had-taught-him-long/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“You may of course ask whether we really need to refer to "saints". Wouldn't it suffice just to refer to decent people? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-emil-frankl/you-may-of-course-ask-whether-we-really-need-to-refer-to-saints/) [Viktor Emil Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-emil-frankl/) > [“This attack is the greatest tragedy in human history,” Avasarala said. “They want the belt to rise up so they can hide behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-attack-is-the-greatest-tragedy-in-human-history-avasarala-said/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [I have a treasure trove of Baker memories, all of which reinforce my sense of Howard Baker as one of the most decent people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yarmuth/i-have-a-treasure-trove-of-baker-memories-all-of-which-reinforce-my/) [John Yarmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yarmuth/) > [Certain types of loudmouthism should be a capital offense among decent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/certain-types-of-loudmouthism-should-be-a-capital-offense-among/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ineos is a friendly organisation. Very few people leave. It's collegiate. There's not much politics, and we like decent people. We don't like arrogance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ratcliffe/ineos-is-a-friendly-organisation-very-few-people-leave-it-s/) [Jim Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ratcliffe/) > [Don't try to be fancy. Shoot for the center of mass. The world is full of decent people. Criminals we can do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/don-t-try-to-be-fancy-shoot-for-the-center-of-mass-the-world-is-full/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [“On the one hand we must never imagine that our own unaided efforts can be relied on to carry us even through the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/on-the-one-hand-we-must-never-imagine-that-our-own-unaided-efforts/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“They just don't know you,' Penelope said, patting her on the hand. 'And they don't know \*you\*, either,' Lady Danbury quite pointedly replied ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/they-just-don-t-know-you-penelope-said-patting-her-on-the-hand-and/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/religious-factions-will-go-on-imposing-their-will-on-others-unless/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [ I explain how America hatred and Jew hatred are \[INDEMIC\] to Modern Liberalism and delve deeper into why it is the otherwise good and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-sayet/i-explain-how-america-hatred-and-jew-hatred-are-indemic-to-modern/) [Evan Sayet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-sayet/) > [When someone puts you down and treats you badly, just remember that there is something wrong with them, not you. Decent people will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/when-someone-puts-you-down-and-treats-you-badly-just-remember-that/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [Most of my heroes are just decent people. Decency is rare and underrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/most-of-my-heroes-are-just-decent-people-decency-is-rare-and/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“No respecter of evidence has ever found the least clue as to what life is all about, and what people should do with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/no-respecter-of-evidence-has-ever-found-the-least-clue-as-to-what/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) [Browse all 156 Decent people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If pimps and thieves were invariably sen­tenced, all decent people would get to thinking they themselves were constantly innocent, cher mon­sieur. And in my opinion—all right, all right, I’m coming!—that’s what must be avoided above all. Otherwise, everything would be just a joke.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen-tenced-all-decent-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decent people" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen-tenced-all-decent-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/anonymous-1_decent-people_if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen_2147568.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If pimps and thieves were invariably sen­tenced, all decent people would get to thinking they themselves…” — Anonymous", "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": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If pimps and thieves were invariably...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen-tenced-all-decent-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-pimps-and-thieves-were-invariably-sen-tenced-all-decent-people/#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 } } ] } ```