--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is safer to do most men harm than to…" description: "\"It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png" --- # It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much… ![“It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png) > “It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It is safer to cause harm than to give excessive good, implying restraint in benevolence. **In simple terms:** Too much good can be dangerous. Key Takeaway Exercise measured kindness. Themes morality restraint human nature Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical maxim When to use this quote - political policy - personal relationships - charitable giving - leadership decisions Key Concepts ethical paradox philosophical caution Questions to Reflect On - When can kindness cause harm? - How to balance aid and autonomy? A Different Perspective Good intentions can backfire if not thoughtful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“Animals are safer than men.  They act on instinct and have no capacity for evil.  Dogs can bite you.  Cats can scratch you.  And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-wildwood/animals-are-safer-than-men-they-act-on-instinct-and-have-no-capacity/) [Octavia Wildwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-wildwood/) > [Good men do the most harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/good-men-do-the-most-harm/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [If it is necessary to die in order to live like men, what harm in dying?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/if-it-is-necessary-to-die-in-order-to-live-like-men-what-harm-in-dying/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [My opinion is, that more harm than good is done by physicians; and I am convinced, that, had I left my patients to nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-wilhelm-hufeland/my-opinion-is-that-more-harm-than-good-is-done-by-physicians-and-i-am/) [Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-wilhelm-hufeland/) > [Oftentimes, we get advice from people who are not equipped to give it, and it does more harm than good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chan/oftentimes-we-get-advice-from-people-who-are-not-equipped-to-give-it/) [Amy Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chan/) > [Unless we as social change agents come from a certain kind of spirituality, we're likely to create more harm than good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/unless-we-as-social-change-agents-come-from-a-certain-kind-of/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Leaders of nations, and people whose wealth or fame gives them power over the lives of others quite often do more harm than good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/leaders-of-nations-and-people-whose-wealth-or-fame-gives-them-power/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [All deductions having been made, democracy has done less harm, and more good, than any other form of government. It gave to human existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/all-deductions-having-been-made-democracy-has-done-less-harm-and-more/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [Like almost every major infrastructure, the Internet can be abused and its users harmed. We must, however, take great care that the cure for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/like-almost-every-major-infrastructure-the-internet-can-be-abused-and/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [But we have gone so far in the direction of over treating terminal patients that we've failed to recognize when we're doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/but-we-have-gone-so-far-in-the-direction-of-over-treating-terminal/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [The science of legislation is like that of medicine in one respect: that it is far more easy to point out what will do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/the-science-of-legislation-is-like-that-of-medicine-in-one-respect/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I think that Lee should have been hanged. It was all the worse that he was a good man and a fine character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-think-that-lee-should-have-been-hanged-it-was-all-the-worse-that-he/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Violence harms the one who does it as much as the one who receives it. You could cut down a tree with an axe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/violence-harms-the-one-who-does-it-as-much-as-the-one-who-receives-it/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/it-is-always-good-men-who-do-the-most-harm-in-the-world/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Evil, which is our companion all our days, is not to be treated as a foe. It is wrong to cocker vice, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/evil-which-is-our-companion-all-our-days-is-not-to-be-treated-as-a/) [Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Harm quotes > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I've never done anybody any harm in my entire life. No need to chase girls, I've thousands of them on Top Of The Pops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-savile/i-ve-never-done-anybody-any-harm-in-my-entire-life-no-need-to-chase/) [Jimmy Savile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-savile/) > [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/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is no question but that nominally religious scientists like Francis Collins and Kenneth R. Miller are doing lasting harm to our discourse by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/there-is-no-question-but-that-nominally-religious-scientists-like/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-any-man-has-done-wrong-the-harm-is-his-own-but-perhaps-he-has-not/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Be Kind - If not, Bring No Harm”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-r-west/be-kind-if-not-bring-no-harm/) Bianca R. West > [“In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/in-quixotically-trying-to-conquer-death-doctors-all-too-frequently-do/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. That speech is truly well spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/speak-only-the-speech-that-neither-torments-self-nor-does-harm-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-have-noticed-that-nothing-i-have-never-said-ever-did-me-any-harm/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [I've said before, the number one thing that we have to work on is protecting the gay community from sharia law. Now, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/i-ve-said-before-the-number-one-thing-that-we-have-to-work-on-is/) [Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/) [Browse all 2,207 Harm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to-do-them-too-much-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Harm" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to-do-them-too-much-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_harm_it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to_756934.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is safer to do most men harm than to do them too much good.” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "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": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is safer to do most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to-do-them-too-much-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-safer-to-do-most-men-harm-than-to-do-them-too-much-good/#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 } } ] } ```