--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Promises were made for people who do not…" description: "\"Promises were made for people who do not trust each other.\" — Ethel M. Dell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/ethel-m-dell-31866_made_promises-were-made-for-people-who-do-not_765609.png" --- # Promises were made for people who do not trust each other. ![“Promises were made for people who do not trust each other.” quote by Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/ethel-m-dell-31866_made_promises-were-made-for-people-who-do-not_765609.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/ethel-m-dell-31866_made_promises-were-made-for-people-who-do-not_765609.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/ethel-m-dell-31866_made_promises-were-made-for-people-who-do-not_765609.png) > “Promises were made for people who do not trust each other.” [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Promises are made among distrustful parties, highlighting the fragility of trust and the paradox of commitment. **In simple terms:** Promises often lack trust. Key Takeaway Build trust before making promises. Themes trust commitment paradox relationships Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - business contracts - personal relationships - team collaborations - negotiations Key Concepts social psychology communication theory risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What conditions foster trustworthy promises? - How can you protect yourself when trust is low? A Different Perspective Promises can be broken, leading to cynicism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-trust/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises/) [Promises People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises-people-795125/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing was irrevocable; everything was within reach... I could make promises to myself and to other people and there would be all the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/nothing-was-irrevocable-everything-was-within-reach-i-could-make/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [People with good intensions make promises but people with good characters keep them .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/people-with-good-intensions-make-promises-but-people-with-good/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [In the winter, things are dead and dull, but then there is an explosion of life. That's what He promises people who believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/in-the-winter-things-are-dead-and-dull-but-then-there-is-an-explosion/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [I have never moved away from my promises to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/i-have-never-moved-away-from-my-promises-to-people/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [What's important is promising something to the people, not actually keeping those promises. The people have always lived on hope alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-broch/what-s-important-is-promising-something-to-the-people-not-actually/) [Hermann Broch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-broch/) > [Half the promises people say were never kept, were never made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/half-the-promises-people-say-were-never-kept-were-never-made/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It just happens. Even when almost everyone who showed you how to do things showed you wrong, and screwed you up, and left; even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-blank/it-just-happens-even-when-almost-everyone-who-showed-you-how-to-do/) [Jessica Blank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-blank/) > [“I could make promises to myself and to other people and there would be all the time in the world to keep them. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-could-make-promises-to-myself-and-to-other-people-and-there-would/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“America is a dream. The poet says it was promises. The people say it is promises—that will come true. The people do not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/america-is-a-dream-the-poet-says-it-was-promises-the-people-say-it-is/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [People with good Intentions make Promises, but People with good Character KEEP them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-with-good-intentions-make-promises-but-people-with-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God promises to keep His people, and He will keep His promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-promises-to-keep-his-people-and-he-will-keep-his-promises/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I'm committed to fulfilling my promises to my people, including my pledge to engage in constructive interaction with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-rouhani/i-m-committed-to-fulfilling-my-promises-to-my-people-including-my/) [Hassan Rouhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-rouhani/) > [It's always been the same from a long time ago, it's people with promises and people dangling carrots and when you're young and impressionable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/it-s-always-been-the-same-from-a-long-time-ago-it-s-people-with/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [The fact of the matter is that the Internet has brought together millions of people who trust one another for reasons that are unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-huh/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-the-internet-has-brought-together/) [Ben Huh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-huh/) > [I think Canadians want to get a feel for the people who will serve them... and, for me, I think that Canadians will trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/i-think-canadians-want-to-get-a-feel-for-the-people-who-will-serve/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) ## More by Ethel M. Dell > [“People's ways are all so different. It's rather infernal—trying to please everybody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/people-s-ways-are-all-so-different-it-s-rather-infernal-trying-to/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [“Isn't it possible—sometime—to try to know too much? There is such a thing as looking too closely, mon ami. And then we pay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/isn-t-it-possible-sometime-to-try-to-know-too-much-there-is-such-a/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [Death is the opening-and the closing-of a Door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/death-is-the-opening-and-the-closing-of-a-door/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [That's the worst of doctors. They are so keen about the body, but they don't study the soul at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/that-s-the-worst-of-doctors-they-are-so-keen-about-the-body-but-they/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a wheel - even a mighty big wheel - if it's going too fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/quite-a-small-spoke-is-enough-to-stop-a-wheel-even-a-mighty-big-wheel/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [I haven't hurt you ... if I have, it's the faithful wound of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/i-haven-t-hurt-you-if-i-have-it-s-the-faithful-wound-of-a-friend/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [“The gods have sent you a gift, and because you don't know what it is made of, you are going to pull it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/the-gods-have-sent-you-a-gift-and-because-you-don-t-know-what-it-is/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [What the world, social and political, concrete and mental, really needs is not new things, but the old things made new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/what-the-world-social-and-political-concrete-and-mental-really-needs/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [What we once fling away never comes again to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/what-we-once-fling-away-never-comes-again-to-us/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [we are all given the ingredients of happiness, but the mixing is left to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/we-are-all-given-the-ingredients-of-happiness-but-the-mixing-is-left/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [People have a way of thinking that everything is finished when the very best of all may yet be in store.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/people-have-a-way-of-thinking-that-everything-is-finished-when-the/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [there was not a tree on the place, only the horrible prickly pear bushes thrusting out their distorted arms as if exulting in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/there-was-not-a-tree-on-the-place-only-the-horrible-prickly-pear/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [There is no such thing as time for those who are happy. For the others - there is nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/there-is-no-such-thing-as-time-for-those-who-are-happy-for-the-others/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [If you didn't sit with your head in the clouds so perpetually you wouldn't get so many shocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/if-you-didn-t-sit-with-your-head-in-the-clouds-so-perpetually-you/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [I love humility in a woman. It's so rare. With man, of course, it is practically extinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/i-love-humility-in-a-woman-it-s-so-rare-with-man-of-course-it-is/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) [Explore all 16 Ethel M. Dell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) ## More Made quotes > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I made $225.81 a week as an accountant, and I went to $400 a week as a stand-up. I was up to $800 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-made-225-81-a-week-as-an-accountant-and-i-went-to-400-a-week-as-a/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [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/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) [Browse all 29,875 Made quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Promises were made for people who do not trust each other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethel M. 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