---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It always starts with one. That's how…"
description: "\"“It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again and again. It becomes easier. Righ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg"
---

#  It always starts with one. That's how justification works…

![“It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again and again. It becomes easier. Right and wrong blur.” quote by Batman, Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg)

> ““It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again and again. It becomes easier. Right and wrong blur.””

[Batman, Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/batman-injustice/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Justifying a single act can lead to repeated rationalizations, blurring ethics.

**In simple terms:** One justification leads to many, blurring right and wrong.

Key Takeaway

Stay vigilant against moral slippery slopes.

Themes

ethics justification morality psychology

Mood

serious introspective

Type

ethical analytical

When to use this quote

- personal decisions
- legal judgments
- social movements

Key Concepts

cognitive bias behavioral patterns oral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- When does justification become self‑deception?
- How can you maintain ethical clarity?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Justification Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification-works-383169/) [Justify Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify-easier-5446878/) [Right and wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-and-wrong/) [Starts Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starts-justification-5446877/) [Works Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-justify-5446879/)

## Related quotes

> [“It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again. It becomes easier. Right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/batman-injustice/it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-justification-works-but-once-you/)

[Batman, Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/batman-injustice/)

> [“Expressed in theological terms, “In justification our own works have no place at all, and simple faith in Christ is the one thing needful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/expressed-in-theological-terms-in-justification-our-own-works-have-no/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [Every man, therefore, who expects justification by works, must see to it, not that he is better than other men, or that he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hodge/every-man-therefore-who-expects-justification-by-works-must-see-to-it/)

[Charles Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hodge/)

> [“Sometimes it's just over and you can't make it all right. Justification by works: an overrated idea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-it-s-just-over-and-you-can-t-make-it-all-right/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Killing, raping and looting have been common practices in religious societies, and often carried out with clerical sanction. The catalogue of notorious barbarities –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tayler/killing-raping-and-looting-have-been-common-practices-in-religious/)

[Jeffrey Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tayler/)

> [“There are two sides to every story, as if that explains and justifies everything! You know what I say when someone tells me that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sex/there-are-two-sides-to-every-story-as-if-that-explains-and-justifies/)

[Nikki Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sex/)

> [You can see the rider serving the elephant when people are morally dumbfounded. They have strong gut feelings about what is right and wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/you-can-see-the-rider-serving-the-elephant-when-people-are-morally/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [Those who love him love that he sells the most art; they take it as a point of faith that this proves Kinkade is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/those-who-love-him-love-that-he-sells-the-most-art-they-take-it-as-a/)

[Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/)

> [“To recklessly excuse a failure is to believe that I’ve effectively erased it from the story of my life, when I’ve actually imprinted it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-recklessly-excuse-a-failure-is-to-believe-that-i-ve-effectively/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [How could one comfort a disturbed person? He is already assailed with doubts about his faith. He would have to despair with such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-f-w-walther/how-could-one-comfort-a-disturbed-person-he-is-already-assailed-with/)

[C. F. W. Walther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-f-w-walther/)

> [An excuse is a justification to make the soul feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-baker/an-excuse-is-a-justification-to-make-the-soul-feel-good/)

[Regina Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-baker/)

> [The ultimate justification of the work of art is to help the spectator to become a work of art himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-ultimate-justification-of-the-work-of-art-is-to-help-the/)

[Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/)

> [“I have heard several people justify working long hours and getting home from work late it night by saying things like, “I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/i-have-heard-several-people-justify-working-long-hours-and-getting/)

[Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/)

> [If memory survived eternally, then indeed there might be justification for a belief in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-aumonier/if-memory-survived-eternally-then-indeed-there-might-be-justification/)

[Stacy Aumonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-aumonier/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

## More by Batman, Injustice

> [“It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again. It becomes easier. Right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/batman-injustice/it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-justification-works-but-once-you/)

[Batman, Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/batman-injustice/)

[Explore all 2 Batman, Injustice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/batman-injustice/)

## More Justification quotes

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [If memory survived eternally, then indeed there might be justification for a belief in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-aumonier/if-memory-survived-eternally-then-indeed-there-might-be-justification/)

[Stacy Aumonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-aumonier/)

> [“I have heard several people justify working long hours and getting home from work late it night by saying things like, “I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/i-have-heard-several-people-justify-working-long-hours-and-getting/)

[Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/)

> [“Expressed in theological terms, “In justification our own works have no place at all, and simple faith in Christ is the one thing needful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/expressed-in-theological-terms-in-justification-our-own-works-have-no/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [The ultimate justification of the work of art is to help the spectator to become a work of art himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-ultimate-justification-of-the-work-of-art-is-to-help-the/)

[Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/)

> [An excuse is a justification to make the soul feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-baker/an-excuse-is-a-justification-to-make-the-soul-feel-good/)

[Regina Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-baker/)

> [Those who love him love that he sells the most art; they take it as a point of faith that this proves Kinkade is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/those-who-love-him-love-that-he-sells-the-most-art-they-take-it-as-a/)

[Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/)

> [You can see the rider serving the elephant when people are morally dumbfounded. They have strong gut feelings about what is right and wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/you-can-see-the-rider-serving-the-elephant-when-people-are-morally/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“To recklessly excuse a failure is to believe that I’ve effectively erased it from the story of my life, when I’ve actually imprinted it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-recklessly-excuse-a-failure-is-to-believe-that-i-ve-effectively/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [How could one comfort a disturbed person? He is already assailed with doubts about his faith. He would have to despair with such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-f-w-walther/how-could-one-comfort-a-disturbed-person-he-is-already-assailed-with/)

[C. F. W. Walther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-f-w-walther/)

> [“Self-justification is the enemy of repentance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/self-justification-is-the-enemy-of-repentance/)

[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [They have this social justification for every nasty thing they do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/they-have-this-social-justification-for-every-nasty-thing-they-do/)

[Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/)

> [It could never be a correct justification that, because the whites oppressed us yesterday when they had power, that the blacks must oppress them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/it-could-never-be-a-correct-justification-that-because-the-whites/)

[Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/)

> [People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/people-often-say-that-humans-have-always-eaten-animals-as-if-this-is/)

[Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/)

> [While society cannot provide employment for its members, the production/work/income nexus has to be abandoned as a justification for our present parsimony to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/while-society-cannot-provide-employment-for-its-members-the/)

[Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/)

[Browse all 748 Justification quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do it again and again. It becomes easier. Right and wrong blur.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Batman, Injustice"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/batman-injustice/it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-justification-works-but-once-you-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Justification"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/batman-injustice/it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-justification-works-but-once-you-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/batman-injustice-110856_justification_it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-jus_3168432.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It always starts with one. That's how justification works. But once you justify something once, you can do…” — Batman, Injustice",
                "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": "Batman, Injustice",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/batman-injustice/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It always starts with one. That's...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/batman-injustice/it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-justification-works-but-once-you-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/batman-injustice/it-always-starts-with-one-that-s-how-justification-works-but-once-you-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```