--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Character is always lost when a high…" description: "\"Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.\" — Charles Spurgeon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png" --- # Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed… ![“Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.” quote by Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png) > “Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.” [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When people abandon their principles for acceptance, they lose their true selves. **In simple terms:** Giving up ideals for popularity erodes character. Key Takeaway Guard your values over approval. Themes integrity conformity identity Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - peer pressure - leadership choices - public image - personal branding Key Concepts moral philosophy social pressure Questions to Reflect On - What values will you defend when they are unpopular? - How does conformity threaten personal growth? A Different Perspective Popularity can be fleeting, but loss of character is lasting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Popularity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity/) ## Related quotes > [“When character is lost, nothing is lost; when wealth is lost, something is lost; but when health is lost, everything is lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/when-character-is-lost-nothing-is-lost-when-wealth-is-lost-something/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [When character is lost, rules and punishments cannot take its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/when-character-is-lost-rules-and-punishments-cannot-take-its-place/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [You can go with the flow and follow trends when it comes to superficial issues, such as style, but when it comes to moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/you-can-go-with-the-flow-and-follow-trends-when-it-comes-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [There are a lot of things in this world that are more important than being popular. Being true to yourself is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-landon/there-are-a-lot-of-things-in-this-world-that-are-more-important-than/) [Michael Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-landon/) > [There was never an option for leaving you but I was forced to do so but you never understood what I sacrificed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan/there-was-never-an-option-for-leaving-you-but-i-was-forced-to-do-so/) [Sushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan/) > [My dad has definitely sacrificed a lot for me, and I don't know if I could do it if I was in his shoes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-kim/my-dad-has-definitely-sacrificed-a-lot-for-me-and-i-don-t-know-if-i/) [Chloe Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-kim/) > [I've sacrificed a lot to get to the top, to the world title. I really sacrificed, and I took a lot of chances. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-macdonald/i-ve-sacrificed-a-lot-to-get-to-the-top-to-the-world-title-i-really/) [Rory MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-macdonald/) > [“The world might not see it or think of it, But you are enough to have someone sacrificed for you. That should tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/the-world-might-not-see-it-or-think-of-it-but-you-are-enough-to-have/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [“I wish to be buried in Ireland, the country of my adoption a country which I loved, which I have dutifully served, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-drummond/i-wish-to-be-buried-in-ireland-the-country-of-my-adoption-a-country/) Thomas Drummond > [I will fight for you, yes, and you will fight for me. And if you have sacrificed joy and courage and beauty and wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-farjeon/i-will-fight-for-you-yes-and-you-will-fight-for-me-and-if-you-have/) [Eleanor Farjeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-farjeon/) > [“New names cost. They’d sacrificed things in their transfigurations. Tyrell Meeks. Imani Greene. Razz. Deirdre. They’d carved open their histories and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-r-hughes/new-names-cost-they-d-sacrificed-things-in-their-transfigurations/) S.R. Hughes > [It starts with family - they've sacrificed so much for me, with my parents moving away from each other when we were young, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/it-starts-with-family-they-ve-sacrificed-so-much-for-me-with-my/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [I've sacrificed my body, my time, to be who I am and where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-pena/i-ve-sacrificed-my-body-my-time-to-be-who-i-am-and-where-i-am/) [Julianna Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-pena/) > [No man knows the genuineness of his convictions until he has sacrificed something for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/no-man-knows-the-genuineness-of-his-convictions-until-he-has/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [When you talk about sacrifices, the ones in my family who have sacrificed are my children, because I love what I'm doing. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/when-you-talk-about-sacrifices-the-ones-in-my-family-who-have/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) ## More by Charles Spurgeon > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [He is not humanity deified. He is not Godhead humanized. He is God. He is man. He is all that God is, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/he-is-not-humanity-deified-he-is-not-godhead-humanized-he-is-god-he/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Christ came to bring healing to those who are spiritually sick-you say that you are perfectly well, so you must go your own way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/christ-came-to-bring-healing-to-those-who-are-spiritually-sick-you/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Who among you today is doing the most for your Master's kingdom? I will tell you. Lend me a spiritual thermometer by which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/who-among-you-today-is-doing-the-most-for-your-master-s-kingdom-i/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I do not know when I am more perfectly happy than when I am weeping for sin at the foot of the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-do-not-know-when-i-am-more-perfectly-happy-than-when-i-am-weeping/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Light physical is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things, and ministers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/light-physical-is-said-by-solomon-to-be-sweet-but-gospel-light-is/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“A mother can translate baby-talk: she comprehends incomprehensible noises. Even so doth our Father in heaven know all about our poor baby talk, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-mother-can-translate-baby-talk-she-comprehends-incomprehensible/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [God is our portion, Christ our companion, the Spirit our Comforter, Earth our lodge, and Heaven is our home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-is-our-portion-christ-our-companion-the-spirit-our-comforter/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Jesus poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/jesus-poured-out-his-soul-in-life-before-he-poured-it-out-unto-death/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-we-want-revivals-we-must-revive-our-reverence-for-the-word-of-god/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Believe only half of the praise and half of the criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/believe-only-half-of-the-praise-and-half-of-the-criticism/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Explore all 1,523 Charles Spurgeon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Spurgeon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ideal-is-sacrificed-on-the-altar/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ideal-is-sacrificed-on-the-altar/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/charles-spurgeon-82_character_character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ide_2826377.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.” — Charles Spurgeon", "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": "Charles Spurgeon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Character is always lost when a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ideal-is-sacrificed-on-the-altar/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/character-is-always-lost-when-a-high-ideal-is-sacrificed-on-the-altar/#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 } } ] } ```