--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can’t do things the right way and…" description: "\"“You can’t do things the right way and still win when the villains have no code. The only way to get anything done is to be just as wicked, but with ri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/danielle-stewart-39703_evil_you-can-t-do-things-the-right-way-and-st_2997386.jpg" --- # You can’t do things the right way and still win when the… ![“You can’t do things the right way and still win when the villains have no code. The only way to get anything done is to be just as wicked, but with righteous intentions.” quote by Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/danielle-stewart-39703_evil_you-can-t-do-things-the-right-way-and-st_2997386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/danielle-stewart-39703_evil_you-can-t-do-things-the-right-way-and-st_2997386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/danielle-stewart-39703_evil_you-can-t-do-things-the-right-way-and-st_2997386.jpg) > ““You can’t do things the right way and still win when the villains have no code. The only way to get anything done is to be just as wicked, but with righteous intentions.”” [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When villains lack moral codes, achieving goals may require adopting similar ruthlessness, albeit with righteous intentions. **In simple terms:** Winning may need ruthless tactics. Key Takeaway Weigh ethics against outcomes. Themes ethics strategy power Mood skeptical thoughtful Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - business negotiations - political campaigns Key Concepts moral philosophy political theory realpolitik Questions to Reflect On - Is compromise ever justified? - What alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Counterpoint: Ends don’t always justify means. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Righteous Intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous-intentions-4740913/) [Villains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villains/) [Villains Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villains-code-4740911/) [Wicked Righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked-righteous-4740914/) [Win Villains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-villains-4740912/) ## Related quotes > [Elektra isn't a villain and isn't a good girl, but as Frank Miller said, she is one of the villains with a weak streak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elodie-yung/elektra-isn-t-a-villain-and-isn-t-a-good-girl-but-as-frank-miller/) [Elodie Yung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elodie-yung/) > [I love the villains who are really hyper-smart. When at the end of the movie you find out what they were about, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/i-love-the-villains-who-are-really-hyper-smart-when-at-the-end-of-the/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A superhero movie is only as great as its villains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/a-superhero-movie-is-only-as-great-as-its-villains/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [I think people respond to villains because people in general are more villainous than heroic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-think-people-respond-to-villains-because-people-in-general-are-more/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I didn't expect to feel pathos for the villains in our show. I feel quite moved in several of our episodes; I never realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-lehman/i-didn-t-expect-to-feel-pathos-for-the-villains-in-our-show-i-feel/) [Kristin Lehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-lehman/) > [Some people that are heroes to some can be looked at by another group of people as villains. As far as a middle point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bernthal/some-people-that-are-heroes-to-some-can-be-looked-at-by-another-group/) [Jon Bernthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bernthal/) > [Villains are always the best roles, but that meant that for months afterwards, all I got offered were absolute cads and bounders and really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pigott-smith/villains-are-always-the-best-roles-but-that-meant-that-for-months/) [Tim Pigott-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pigott-smith/) > [Evil is relative - and what I mean by that is that our villains are as complex, as deep and as compelling as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/evil-is-relative-and-what-i-mean-by-that-is-that-our-villains-are-as/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [If you look at all of the villains in the course of human history, they've all believed, delusionally, in the virtue of their actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/if-you-look-at-all-of-the-villains-in-the-course-of-human-history/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [As a writer I'm more drawn to villains who are just slightly mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/as-a-writer-i-m-more-drawn-to-villains-who-are-just-slightly-mad/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I've played more villains than anything else. And I love playing villains, because I can just be evil and do whatever I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-ve-played-more-villains-than-anything-else-and-i-love-playing/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > ['Forever Evil' is my love letter to DC super villains. It's my chance to take all of the villains I've worked with and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/forever-evil-is-my-love-letter-to-dc-super-villains-it-s-my-chance-to/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [One thing that's happened to me is I've been around a long time and I've played a lot of villains and so forth. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/one-thing-that-s-happened-to-me-is-i-ve-been-around-a-long-time-and-i/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [Villains never know they are villains in a picture so I play this like I'm the nicest guy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-rogers/villains-never-know-they-are-villains-in-a-picture-so-i-play-this/) [Wayne Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-rogers/) > [“Never believe that villains are hurting people by accident. They want to get better at their craft of breaking jaws just as you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-nayeri/never-believe-that-villains-are-hurting-people-by-accident-they-want/) [Daniel Nayeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-nayeri/) ## More by Danielle Stewart > [“When she moves a chess piece on the board, it isn’t so she can win; it’s to move the game forward. She’s just keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/when-she-moves-a-chess-piece-on-the-board-it-isn-t-so-she-can-win-it/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“don’t open the door because you’re incapable. My mother told me you open the door for a woman because she deserves to make an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/don-t-open-the-door-because-you-re-incapable-my-mother-told-me-you/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“it was for my desire to fit into my skinny jeans. I was the warden in my own prison. That”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/it-was-for-my-desire-to-fit-into-my-skinny-jeans-i-was-the-warden-in/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“one was perfect, but people can be perfect for each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/one-was-perfect-but-people-can-be-perfect-for-each-other/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“There’s a good chance that one of these days you’re going to wake up and see yourself the way I see you, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/there-s-a-good-chance-that-one-of-these-days-you-re-going-to-wake-up/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“It’s funny how the mind can be selective in its archiving of memories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/it-s-funny-how-the-mind-can-be-selective-in-its-archiving-of-memories/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“Every path has its puddles— yours seems to have a few land mines, too. It don’t make you any less than anyone else, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/every-path-has-its-puddles-yours-seems-to-have-a-few-land-mines-too/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“You've got my love the same way the ocean has the shore. It's always there - the tide can change, the sea can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/you-ve-got-my-love-the-same-way-the-ocean-has-the-shore-it-s-always/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“I love that you have no idea how incredible you are, because that means I get to be here when you finally figure it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/i-love-that-you-have-no-idea-how-incredible-you-are-because-that/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) > [“Trying to get her to understand is like trying to nail jelly to a tree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-stewart/trying-to-get-her-to-understand-is-like-trying-to-nail-jelly-to-a-tree/) [Danielle Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) [Explore all 11 Danielle Stewart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-stewart/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can’t do things the right way and still win when the villains have no code. 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