--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Malicious acts are performed by people…" description: "\"Malicious acts are performed by people for personal gain … Sorcerers, though, have an ulterior purpose for their acts, which has nothing to do with per..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg" --- # Malicious acts are performed by people for personal gain …… ![“Malicious acts are performed by people for personal gain … Sorcerers, though, have an ulterior purpose for their acts, which has nothing to do with personal gain. The fact that they enjoy their acts does not count as gain. Rather, it is a condition of their character. The average man acts only if…” quote by Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg) > “Malicious acts are performed by people for personal gain … Sorcerers, though, have an ulterior purpose for their acts, which has nothing to do with personal gain. The fact that they enjoy their acts does not count as gain. Rather, it is a condition of their character. The average man acts only if there is a chance for profit. Warriors say they act not for profit but for the spirit.” [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People act for profit, but sorcerers act from a deeper, non‑material drive tied to their nature. **In simple terms:** Sorcerers act for character, not profit. Key Takeaway Recognize motives beyond material gain. Themes motivation ethics character power Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - ethical decision making Key Concepts alchemy spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - What drives your actions beyond reward? - Can non‑material motives be truly selfless? A Different Perspective Profit motive can be rationalized as noble. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal gain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-gain/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warrior/) ## Related quotes > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“There exists no ”invisible hand“—that was always an unfortunate turn of phrase—but billions of highly visible fingers, doing, purely for personal gain, what others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/there-exists-no-invisible-hand-that-was-always-an-unfortunate-turn-of/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“In addition to its role in facilitating change, conflict serves a number of other constructive functions—as a releaser of tension, a promoter of growth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kottler/in-addition-to-its-role-in-facilitating-change-conflict-serves-a/) Jeffrey Kottler > [Out of all the climbers of this generation, I was the one who became known to the larger public. Many of them - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/out-of-all-the-climbers-of-this-generation-i-was-the-one-who-became/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Love...no such thing. Whatever it is that binds families and married couples together, that's not love. That's stupidity or selfishness or fear. Love doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/love-no-such-thing-whatever-it-is-that-binds-families-and-married/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [My father was the only man I ever knew who really loved me unselfishly, who never used me for personal gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-mansfield/my-father-was-the-only-man-i-ever-knew-who-really-loved-me/) [Jayne Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-mansfield/) > [Some people seek meaning in life through personal gain, through personal relationship, or through personal experiences. However, it seems to me that being blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/some-people-seek-meaning-in-life-through-personal-gain-through/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [Is it any wonder things are so inane? So many quests for compassion are just for someone's personal gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-religion/is-it-any-wonder-things-are-so-inane-so-many-quests-for-compassion/) [Bad Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-religion/) > [“Intelligence must be used for the benefit, and not to the detriment, of society. Those who use intelligence for their own personal gain or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/intelligence-must-be-used-for-the-benefit-and-not-to-the-detriment-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Let's just say that Pitt has a ton of balls, the brains to go with them, and an uncanny knack for knocking the shit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-giordino/let-s-just-say-that-pitt-has-a-ton-of-balls-the-brains-to-go-with/) Al Giordino > [“Evil is not just a theory of paradox, but an actual entity that exists only for itself. From its ether of manifestation that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-risch/evil-is-not-just-a-theory-of-paradox-but-an-actual-entity-that-exists/) [R.G. Risch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-risch/) > [To be free is to put justice, truth and service to others over and above our personal gain or our need for recognition, power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-be-free-is-to-put-justice-truth-and-service-to-others-over-and/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Trusted Black Magic Specialist in Mississauga – Restore Peace and Harmony in Your Life" In today's fast-paced world, negative energies and unexplained problems can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psychic-ravi/trusted-black-magic-specialist-in-mississauga-restore-peace-and/) Psychic Ravi > [“Sure we all enjoy movies, books and TV shows that portray people putting principles ahead PFB personal gain. But it might be time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-lorre/sure-we-all-enjoy-movies-books-and-tv-shows-that-portray-people/) [Chuck Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-lorre/) > [“The autumn hit-and-run raids and the colonists’ attempts to retaliate ended with the early onset of especially heavy snowfalls that year. Over the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beth-norton/the-autumn-hit-and-run-raids-and-the-colonists-attempts-to-retaliate/) [Mary Beth Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beth-norton/) ## More by Carlos Castaneda > [A warrior, or any man for that matter, cannot possibly wish he were somewhere else; a warrior because he lives by challenge, an ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/a-warrior-or-any-man-for-that-matter-cannot-possibly-wish-he-were/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [You see all of us go through the same doubts. We are afraid of being mad; unfortunately for us, of course, all of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/you-see-all-of-us-go-through-the-same-doubts-we-are-afraid-of-being/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Intent is what can make a man succeed when his thoughts tell him that he is defeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/intent-is-what-can-make-a-man-succeed-when-his-thoughts-tell-him-that/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [One can say that the nagual accounts for creativity. The nagual is the only part of us that can create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/one-can-say-that-the-nagual-accounts-for-creativity-the-nagual-is-the/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Do you know at this very moment you are surrounded by eternity? And do you know that you can use that eternity if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/do-you-know-at-this-very-moment-you-are-surrounded-by-eternity-and-do/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [When a warrior learns to stop the internal dialogue, everything becomes possible; the most far-fetched schemes become attainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/when-a-warrior-learns-to-stop-the-internal-dialogue-everything/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Nothing in this world is a gift. Whatever must be learned must be learned the hard way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/nothing-in-this-world-is-a-gift-whatever-must-be-learned-must-be/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Our normal expectations about reality are created by a social consensus. We are taught how to see and understand the world. The trick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/our-normal-expectations-about-reality-are-created-by-a-social/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Inner silence works from the moment you begin to accrue it. What the old sorcerers were after was the final dramatic, end result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/inner-silence-works-from-the-moment-you-begin-to-accrue-it-what-the/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [In a world where death is the hunter, my friend, there is no time for regrets or doubts. There is only time for decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/in-a-world-where-death-is-the-hunter-my-friend-there-is-no-time-for/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Fright is something one can never get over. When a warrior is caught in such a tight spot he would simply turn his back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/fright-is-something-one-can-never-get-over-when-a-warrior-is-caught/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [You're in a terrible spot. It's too late for you to retreat but too soon to act. All you can do is witness. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/you-re-in-a-terrible-spot-it-s-too-late-for-you-to-retreat-but-too/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [A hunter that is worth his salt does not catch game because he sets his traps, or because he knows the hunting routines of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/a-hunter-that-is-worth-his-salt-does-not-catch-game-because-he-sets/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [If you were a warrior, you would know that the worst thing one can do is confront human beings directly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/if-you-were-a-warrior-you-would-know-that-the-worst-thing-one-can-do/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) [Explore all 244 Carlos Castaneda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) ## More Average quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/) Buck Martinez > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [I really focus more to hit for average, just try to put the ball in play as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-soto/i-really-focus-more-to-hit-for-average-just-try-to-put-the-ball-in/) [Juan Soto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-soto/) > [You give me enough shots, I'll average 20. You give me a particular system where I stick close to the basket, I'll average 10 rebounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/you-give-me-enough-shots-i-ll-average-20-you-give-me-a-particular/) [Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [My phone rings, they call me up and say, 'Chael, your testosterone level is too high.' I say, 'Well, how high was it?' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/my-phone-rings-they-call-me-up-and-say-chael-your-testosterone-level/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I feel like what motivates me is what would motivate the regular average person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/i-feel-like-what-motivates-me-is-what-would-motivate-the-regular/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) > [We're trying to do something so that when the average person uses Pinterest, it has to make the service better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/we-re-trying-to-do-something-so-that-when-the-average-person-uses/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) Browse all 2,816 Average quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Malicious acts are performed by people for personal gain … Sorcerers, though, have an ulterior purpose for their acts, which has nothing to do with personal gain. The fact that they enjoy their acts does not count as gain. Rather, it is a condition of their character. The average man acts only if there is a chance for profit. Warriors say they act not for profit but for the spirit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carlos Castaneda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-for-personal-gain-sorcerers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Average" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-for-personal-gain-sorcerers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/carlos-castaneda-1384_average_malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-f_797111.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Malicious acts are performed by people for personal gain … Sorcerers, though, have an ulterior purpose for…” — Carlos Castaneda", "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": "Carlos Castaneda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Malicious acts are performed by people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-for-personal-gain-sorcerers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/malicious-acts-are-performed-by-people-for-personal-gain-sorcerers/#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 } } ] } ```