--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all have the potential to commit the…" description: "\"“We all have the potential to commit the crime. We chose not to. Every single day, we chose not to. I am no different”\" — David Levithan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg" --- # We all have the potential to commit the crime. We chose… ![“We all have the potential to commit the crime. We chose not to. Every single day, we chose not to. I am no different” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg) > ““We all have the potential to commit the crime. We chose not to. Every single day, we chose not to. I am no different”” [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People constantly face moral choices; we can decide daily to act ethically or not. **In simple terms:** We choose daily whether to do wrong. Key Takeaway Choose kindness each day. Themes morality choice daily decisions Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace - online interactions - public policy Key Concepts ethics free will Questions to Reflect On - What daily habit reinforces your ethical choices? - How do you resist peer pressure? A Different Perspective Choosing good can be hard when pressures push otherwise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Every single day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-single-day/) ## Related quotes > [“Because Day chose to walk in the light.” I turn my back on him for the last time. The door opens; the cell’s bars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/because-day-chose-to-walk-in-the-light-i-turn-my-back-on-him-for-the/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [“If sexuality was a choice, we'd all have very clear memories of the day we chose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/if-sexuality-was-a-choice-we-d-all-have-very-clear-memories-of-the/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [I campaigned for the UK to stay in the European Union but the country chose a different path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-truss/i-campaigned-for-the-uk-to-stay-in-the-european-union-but-the-country/) [Liz Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-truss/) > [“I had to be different... so I would not be inferior. We could not occupy the same space together. Like horses in a race,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-donaldson/i-had-to-be-different-so-i-would-not-be-inferior-we-could-not-occupy/) [Julianne Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-donaldson/) > [I live by the business model that there is a better than, a less than, or a different than. Those are the three categories.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-dallas-page/i-live-by-the-business-model-that-there-is-a-better-than-a-less-than/) [Diamond Dallas Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-dallas-page/) > [You are someone who is different, but who wants to be the same as everyone else. And that in my view is a serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-are-someone-who-is-different-but-who-wants-to-be-the-same-as/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I could have stayed at Chelsea, signed a new contract, but I chose to go different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-van-aanholt/i-could-have-stayed-at-chelsea-signed-a-new-contract-but-i-chose-to/) [Patrick van Aanholt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-van-aanholt/) > [A man must commit a crime at least once in his life-time. Only then will his virtue be recognized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girish-karnad/a-man-must-commit-a-crime-at-least-once-in-his-life-time-only-then/) Girish Karnad > [Many commit the same crime with a very different result. One bears a cross for his crime; another a crown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/many-commit-the-same-crime-with-a-very-different-result-one-bears-a/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Unless they give you a reason to not trust them, don't spend all your time trying to catch someone in a lie, or constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-ambler/unless-they-give-you-a-reason-to-not-trust-them-don-t-spend-all-your/) [Tracy Ambler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-ambler/) > [If you commit a crime, you maybe have to be haunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/if-you-commit-a-crime-you-maybe-have-to-be-haunted/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [The First Amendment does not give you the right to commit a crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanine-pirro/the-first-amendment-does-not-give-you-the-right-to-commit-a-crime/) [Jeanine Pirro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanine-pirro/) > [If we commit any crime, or do any good here, it must be in thought; for our words are few and our deeds none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/if-we-commit-any-crime-or-do-any-good-here-it-must-be-in-thought-for/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [There is no den in the wide world to hide a rogue. Commit a crime, and the earth is made of glass. Commit a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-no-den-in-the-wide-world-to-hide-a-rogue-commit-a-crime-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“If your God asks you to commit crime against humanity, change your God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinita-kinra/if-your-god-asks-you-to-commit-crime-against-humanity-change-your-god/) [Vinita Kinra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinita-kinra/) ## More by David Levithan > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“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/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“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/) > [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/) [Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/) > [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/) Avis Bohlen [Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We all have the potential to commit the crime. We chose not to. Every single day, we chose not to. I am no different”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Levithan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the-crime-we-chose-not-to-every/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crime" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the-crime-we-chose-not-to-every/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/david-levithan-67_crime_we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the_3179044.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We all have the potential to commit the crime. We chose not to. Every single day, we chose not to. I am no…” — David Levithan", "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": "David Levithan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We all have the potential to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the-crime-we-chose-not-to-every/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-all-have-the-potential-to-commit-the-crime-we-chose-not-to-every/#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 } } ] } ```