--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Justice cannot just be something that one…" description: "\"“Justice cannot just be something that one part of society inflicts on the other.”\" — Cathy O'Neil" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg" --- # Justice cannot just be something that one part of society… ![“Justice cannot just be something that one part of society inflicts on the other.” quote by Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg) > ““Justice cannot just be something that one part of society inflicts on the other.”” [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Justice should not be a tool wielded by one group over another; it must be mutual and fair. **In simple terms:** Justice isn’t a one‑sided weapon. Key Takeaway Promote equitable systems that involve all parties. Themes justice fairness power dynamics Mood critical analytical Type ethical political When to use this quote - policy making - community organizing - legal reform Key Concepts social equity ethical governance collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure justice is truly reciprocal? - Who benefits from current power structures? A Different Perspective Power imbalances can still shape outcomes despite intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inflicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inflicts-354717/) [Just Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-society/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-just-1165375/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Inflicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-inflicts-3807171/) ## Related quotes > [But this is not to say that the society which inflicts capital punishment commits murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/but-this-is-not-to-say-that-the-society-which-inflicts-capital/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Mercy often inflicts death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/mercy-often-inflicts-death/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Love's wounds can be healed only by the one who inflicts them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/love-s-wounds-can-be-healed-only-by-the-one-who-inflicts-them/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [I wholeheartedly support the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for a democratic, free and just society where the rule of law prevails without corruption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-kaptur/i-wholeheartedly-support-the-aspirations-of-the-ukrainian-people-for/) [Marcy Kaptur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcy-kaptur/) > [The goal of a just society should be to provide satisfying work with a living wage to all its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/the-goal-of-a-just-society-should-be-to-provide-satisfying-work-with/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [“When searching for justice, what you sometimes find is just more trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryann-austin/when-searching-for-justice-what-you-sometimes-find-is-just-more/) [Maryann Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryann-austin/) > [A just city should favor justice and the just, hate tyranny and injustice, and give them both their just deserts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-farabi/a-just-city-should-favor-justice-and-the-just-hate-tyranny-and/) [Al-Farabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-farabi/) > [Too often we seek justice for just us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alexander-thom/too-often-we-seek-justice-for-just-us/) [James Alexander Thom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alexander-thom/) > [“The last thing the justice system is, is just.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-shepherd/the-last-thing-the-justice-system-is-is-just/) [Megan Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-shepherd/) > [What I am for is justice for everyone, just like it says in the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pryor/what-i-am-for-is-justice-for-everyone-just-like-it-says-in-the/) [Richard Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pryor/) > [“Let the one who seeks justice be just.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hartman/let-the-one-who-seeks-justice-be-just/) [Rachel Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hartman/) > [Above all do not ask that justice be just: It is just, because it is justice. The idea of a just justice could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/above-all-do-not-ask-that-justice-be-just-it-is-just-because-it-is/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Justice is juxtaposition in us Justice for all just ain't specific enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/justice-is-juxtaposition-in-us-justice-for-all-just-ain-t-specific/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [The justice system is now just a system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-enyart/the-justice-system-is-now-just-a-system/) [Bob Enyart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-enyart/) > [Is not Justice just a nice way to say revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonya-nelson/is-not-justice-just-a-nice-way-to-say-revenge/) [Antonya Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonya-nelson/) ## More by Cathy O'Neil > [ With recidivism algorithms, for example, I worry about racist outcomes. With personality tests \[for hiring\], I worry about filtering out people with mental health… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/with-recidivism-algorithms-for-example-i-worry-about-racist-outcomes/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“They draw statistical correlations between a person’s zip code or language patterns and her potential to pay back a loan or handle a job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/they-draw-statistical-correlations-between-a-person-s-zip-code-or/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [I don't think anybody's ever notified that they were sentenced to an extra two years because their recidivism score had been high, or notified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/i-don-t-think-anybody-s-ever-notified-that-they-were-sentenced-to-an/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The national conversation around white entitlement, around institutionalized racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, I think, came about in large part because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-national-conversation-around-white-entitlement-around/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“model’s blind spots reflect the judgments and priorities of its creators. While the choices in Google Maps and avionics software appear cut and dried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/model-s-blind-spots-reflect-the-judgments-and-priorities-of-its/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [I would argue that one of the major problems with our blind trust in algorithms is that we can propagate discriminatory patterns without acknowledging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/i-would-argue-that-one-of-the-major-problems-with-our-blind-trust-in/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [We've learned our lesson with finance because they made a huge goddamn explosion that almost shut down the world. But the thing I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/we-ve-learned-our-lesson-with-finance-because-they-made-a-huge/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“Employers, for example, are increasingly using credit scores to evaluate potential hires. Those who pay their bills promptly, the thinking goes, are more likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/employers-for-example-are-increasingly-using-credit-scores-to/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [Google is so big you have no idea what a given person does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/google-is-so-big-you-have-no-idea-what-a-given-person-does/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [It's a standard thing you hear from startup people - that their product is somehow improving the world. And if you follow the reasoning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/it-s-a-standard-thing-you-hear-from-startup-people-that-their-product/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The NSA buys data from private companies, so the private companies are the source of all this stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-nsa-buys-data-from-private-companies-so-the-private-companies-are/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“The algorithms would make sure that those deemed losers would remain that way. A lucky minority would gain ever more control over the data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-algorithms-would-make-sure-that-those-deemed-losers-would-remain/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“As we’ve seen, they (the companies) routinely reject applicants on the basis of credit scores and personality tests. Health scores represent a natural—and frightening—next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/as-we-ve-seen-they-the-companies-routinely-reject-applicants-on-the/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [We don't let a car company just throw out a car and start driving it around without checking that the wheels are fastened on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/we-don-t-let-a-car-company-just-throw-out-a-car-and-start-driving-it/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The public trusts big data way too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-public-trusts-big-data-way-too-much/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) [Explore all 59 Cathy O'Neil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) ## More Justice quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [Civilized nations are ones that simply can't endure wrongs or injustice except at home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-anderson/civilized-nations-are-ones-that-simply-can-t-endure-wrongs-or/) [Joseph Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-anderson/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [There is no freedom without justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/there-is-no-freedom-without-justice/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [“The absence of judgment becomes a catalyst and an enabler for greater injustice. Contrary to popular thought, judgment is a GOOD thing when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-chace-gordon/the-absence-of-judgment-becomes-a-catalyst-and-an-enabler-for-greater/) [J. Chace Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-chace-gordon/) > [The function of the law is not to provide justice or to preserve freedom. The function of the law is to keep those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-spence/the-function-of-the-law-is-not-to-provide-justice-or-to-preserve/) [Gerry Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-spence/) [Browse all 13,527 Justice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Justice cannot just be something that one part of society inflicts on the other.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cathy O'Neil" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-one-part-of-society-inflicts-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Justice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-one-part-of-society-inflicts-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/cathy-o-neil-11478_social-justice_justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-on_1376928.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Justice cannot just be something that one part of society inflicts on the other.” — Cathy O'Neil", "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": "Cathy O'Neil", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Justice cannot just be something that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-one-part-of-society-inflicts-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/justice-cannot-just-be-something-that-one-part-of-society-inflicts-on/#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 } } ] } ```