--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good means not merely not to do wrong…" description: "\"Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.\" — Democritus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png" --- # Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to… ![“Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.” quote by Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png) > “Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.” [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goodness involves not only avoiding wrongdoing but also not desiring to commit wrong acts. **In simple terms:** Good means not wanting to do wrong. Key Takeaway Cultivate pure intentions. Themes ethics morality intentions Mood reflective ethical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decisions - leadership - education - policy making Key Concepts virtue ethics philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Can you want without desire? - How to nurture virtuous desires? A Different Perspective Desire can be hard to control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ## Related quotes > [Do all the good you can, by all the means you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/for-children-diversity-needs-to-be-real-and-not-merely-relegated-to/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [You have enemies ? 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If my best is not good enough for you, than you are by no means,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-do-what-i-can-i-give-my-best-if-my-best-is-not-good-enough-for-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“you have enemies? Good. That means you've stuck up for yourself sometime in your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-enemies-good-that-means-you-ve-stuck-up-for-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/you-have-enemies-good-that-means-you-ve-stood-up-for-something/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [It's good that people don't like you. That's good. It means that you are doing something interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/it-s-good-that-people-don-t-like-you-that-s-good-it-means-that-you/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [You've got eminies? good means you stood up for something that meant a lot to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/you-ve-got-eminies-good-means-you-stood-up-for-something-that-meant-a/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you-2/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Don't ever say you're not good enough because if he can't see how good you are, it only means he's the one that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike/don-t-ever-say-you-re-not-good-enough-because-if-he-can-t-see-how/) [Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike/) > [Good means ultimately he's producing character in me to conform me into the image of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/good-means-ultimately-he-s-producing-character-in-me-to-conform-me/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) ## More by Democritus > [If your desires are not great, a little will seem much to you; for small appetite makes poverty equivalent to wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/if-your-desires-are-not-great-a-little-will-seem-much-to-you-for/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Men will cease to be fools only when they cease to be men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-will-cease-to-be-fools-only-when-they-cease-to-be-men/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Nothing exists but atoms and the void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/nothing-exists-but-atoms-and-the-void/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [If thou suffer injustice, console thyself; the true unhappiness is in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/if-thou-suffer-injustice-console-thyself-the-true-unhappiness-is-in/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Men have made an idol of luck as an excuse for their own thoughtlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-have-made-an-idol-of-luck-as-an-excuse-for-their-own/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [By desiring little, a poor man makes himself rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/by-desiring-little-a-poor-man-makes-himself-rich/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [People sometimes rationalize their greed by saying that it is all for the good of their children but this is nothing but an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/people-sometimes-rationalize-their-greed-by-saying-that-it-is-all-for/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/beautiful-objects-are-wrought-by-study-through-effort-but-ugly-things/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Nature and education are somewhat similar. The latter transforms man, and in so doing creates a second nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/nature-and-education-are-somewhat-similar-the-latter-transforms-man/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [The wise man’s home is the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/the-wise-man-s-home-is-the-universe/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [“Accept nothing pleasant unless it is beneficial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/accept-nothing-pleasant-unless-it-is-beneficial/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Raising children is an uncertain thing; success is reached only after a life of battle and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/raising-children-is-an-uncertain-thing-success-is-reached-only-after/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Nature . . . has buried truth deep in the bottom of the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/nature-has-buried-truth-deep-in-the-bottom-of-the-sea/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [More men have become great through practice than by nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/more-men-have-become-great-through-practice-than-by-nature/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Happiness resides not in possessions and not in golds; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul. Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/happiness-resides-not-in-possessions-and-not-in-golds-the-feeling-of/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) [Explore all 106 Democritus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Democritus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-but-rather-not-to-desire-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-but-rather-not-to-desire-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/democritus-4814_desire_good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-bu_1324753.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.” — Democritus", "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": "Democritus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good means not merely not to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-but-rather-not-to-desire-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/good-means-not-merely-not-to-do-wrong-but-rather-not-to-desire-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```