---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we cannot be powerful and happy and…"
description: "\"If we cannot be powerful and happy and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.\" — Elbert Hubbard"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/elbert-hubbard-510_conscience_if-we-cannot-be-powerful-and-happy-and-p_1903122.png"
---

#  If we cannot be powerful and happy and prey on others, we…

![“If we cannot be powerful and happy and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.” quote by Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/elbert-hubbard-510_conscience_if-we-cannot-be-powerful-and-happy-and-p_1903122.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/elbert-hubbard-510_conscience_if-we-cannot-be-powerful-and-happy-and-p_1903122.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/elbert-hubbard-510_conscience_if-we-cannot-be-powerful-and-happy-and-p_1903122.png)

> “If we cannot be powerful and happy and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Power without conscience leads to self‑destruction; we create moral rules to avoid harming ourselves.

**In simple terms:** We make conscience to avoid hurting ourselves.

Key Takeaway

Question your motives before imposing rules.

Themes

ethics power self‑control

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- politics
- personal relationships
- leadership
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you impose rules to protect others or yourself?
- How does power affect moral choices?

A Different Perspective

Conscience can be rationalized to justify harmful actions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Prey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-prey-307775/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Invent Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-conscience-307776/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Prey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prey/) [Prey Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prey-invent-307778/)

## Related quotes

> [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/)

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[Boethius D. 524](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boethius-d-524/)

> [A clear conscience is the softest pillow in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-r-narayana-murthy/a-clear-conscience-is-the-softest-pillow-in-the-world/)

[N. R. Narayana Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-r-narayana-murthy/)

> [A clere conscience is a sure carde.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lyly/a-clere-conscience-is-a-sure-carde/)

[John Lyly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lyly/)

> [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/)

[Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/)

> [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/)

[Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/)

> [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/)

[Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/)

> [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/)

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[Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/)

> [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/)

[Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/)

> [What we are trying to do is to create a new business paradigm, simply showing that business can have a human face and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/what-we-are-trying-to-do-is-to-create-a-new-business-paradigm-simply/)

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## More by Elbert Hubbard

> [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/)

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> [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [The poor and ignorant will continue to lie and steal as long as the rich and educated show them how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-poor-and-ignorant-will-continue-to-lie-and-steal-as-long-as-the/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/so-long-as-governments-set-the-example-of-killing-their-enemies/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [If I supply you with a thought, you may remember it and you may not. But if I can make you think a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-i-supply-you-with-a-thought-you-may-remember-it-and-you-may-not/)

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> [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/1-2-3-4-5-a-conservative-is-a-man-who-is-too-cowardly-to-fight-and/)

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## More Conscience quotes

> [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/)

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> [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/)

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> [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/)

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> [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/)

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> [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/)

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> [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/)

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