--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is in vain to say human beings ought…" description: "\"It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.\" — Charl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/charlotte-bronte-144_action_it-is-in-vain-to-say-human-beings-ought_442997.jpg" --- # It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied… ![“It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.” quote by Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/charlotte-bronte-144_action_it-is-in-vain-to-say-human-beings-ought_442997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/charlotte-bronte-144_action_it-is-in-vain-to-say-human-beings-ought_442997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/charlotte-bronte-144_action_it-is-in-vain-to-say-human-beings-ought_442997.jpg) > “It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.” [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans need purposeful activity; tranquility alone is insufficient for fulfillment. **In simple terms:** People need action, not just peace. Key Takeaway Seek meaningful engagement. Themes purpose action human nature Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choices - creative projects - personal growth - community service Key Concepts existential drive psychology of fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What drives your desire for action? - How to balance peace and activity? A Different Perspective Action without purpose can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Tranquility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tranquility/) ## Related quotes > [“It is vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/it-is-vain-to-say-human-beings-ought-to-be-satisfied-with-tranquility/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“One need only posit some threat to the public tranquility and any action can be justified. All the horrors of the reign of terror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-need-only-posit-some-threat-to-the-public-tranquility-and-any/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Human beings ought not to draw in their antennae at every ungentle touch, like supersensitive insects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-t-a-hoffmann/human-beings-ought-not-to-draw-in-their-antennae-at-every-ungentle/) [E. T. A. Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-t-a-hoffmann/) > [“It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/it-is-in-vain-to-say-human-beings-ought-to-be-satisfied-with-2/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The Pariahs, our fellow beings, ought to be educated by the higher castes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-pariahs-our-fellow-beings-ought-to-be-educated-by-the-higher/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [whatever our ignorance left to itself, and whatever the wounds that other human beings are, we ought to study ourselves with a sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/whatever-our-ignorance-left-to-itself-and-whatever-the-wounds-that/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [“We want to stand upon our own feet and look fair and square at the world - its good facts, its bad facts, its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/we-want-to-stand-upon-our-own-feet-and-look-fair-and-square-at-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“We are as forlorn as children lost in the woods. 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Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-c-nussbaum/) > [“What matters is that we’re all thinking beings, and if we are thinking beings we ought to be able to find common ground somewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-waters/what-matters-is-that-we-re-all-thinking-beings-and-if-we-are-thinking/) [Daniel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-waters/) > [It did not seem as if a prop were withdrawn, but rather as if a motive were gone: it was not the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/it-did-not-seem-as-if-a-prop-were-withdrawn-but-rather-as-if-a-motive/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“A conscience free from guilt leads to tranquility of the mind, and only a tranquil mind can see things as they truly are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bohdi-sanders/a-conscience-free-from-guilt-leads-to-tranquility-of-the-mind-and/) [Bohdi Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bohdi-sanders/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Don't live by my words, don't die by them, chew them slowly digest them, and smile if they give nourishment to your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/don-t-live-by-my-words-don-t-die-by-them-chew-them-slowly-digest-them/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) ## More by Charlotte Bronte > [When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should - so hard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/when-we-are-struck-at-without-a-reason-we-should-strike-back-again/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“A deal of people, Miss, are for trusting all to Providence; but I say Providence will not dispense with the means, though He often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/a-deal-of-people-miss-are-for-trusting-all-to-providence-but-i-say/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“This night is not calm; the equinox still struggles in its storms. The wild rains of the day are abated; the great single cloud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/this-night-is-not-calm-the-equinox-still-struggles-in-its-storms-the/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“How dare I, Mrs Reed? How dare I? Because it is the truth. 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With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Poverty, for me, is synonymous with degradation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/poverty-for-me-is-synonymous-with-degradation/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [When his first-born was put into his arms, he could see that the boy had inherited his own eyes, as they once were -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/when-his-first-born-was-put-into-his-arms-he-could-see-that-the-boy/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Talented people almost always know full well the excellence that is in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/talented-people-almost-always-know-full-well-the-excellence-that-is/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Not one spark of spirit, not one symptom of resistance, would they have shown till the hand of the Corsican bandit had grasped that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/not-one-spark-of-spirit-not-one-symptom-of-resistance-would-they-have/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Love can excuse anything except meanness; but meanness kills love, cripples even natural affection; without esteem true love cannot exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/love-can-excuse-anything-except-meanness-but-meanness-kills-love/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I think you will learn to be natural with me, as I find it impossible to be conventional with you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/i-think-you-will-learn-to-be-natural-with-me-as-i-find-it-impossible/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“You are no ruin sir--no lighting-struck tree: you are green and vigorous. 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