--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's always tempting to do good at…" description: "\"It's always tempting to do good at someone else's expense\" — Frederic Bastiat" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png" --- # It's always tempting to do good at someone else's expense ![“It's always tempting to do good at someone else's expense” quote by Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png) > “It's always tempting to do good at someone else's expense” [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good deeds that harm others are morally problematic, highlighting unintended consequences. **In simple terms:** Doing good at others' expense is wrong. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of your actions on others. Themes ethics economics consequences Mood reflective critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - policy making - business decisions - personal choices Key Concepts utilitarianism externalities Questions to Reflect On - What unseen harms might your good deeds cause? - Do you weigh benefits against costs? A Different Perspective Good intentions can cause hidden damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expense/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Expense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-expense-1855209/) [Tempting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempting/) [Tempting Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempting-good-3643798/) ## Related quotes > [Power always protects the good of some at the expense of all others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/power-always-protects-the-good-of-some-at-the-expense-of-all-others/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Every person shall be free to do good ' at his own expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/every-person-shall-be-free-to-do-good-at-his-own-expense/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [You can't show love to someone at the expense of someone else who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-milholland/you-can-t-show-love-to-someone-at-the-expense-of-someone-else-who/) [R. K. Milholland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-milholland/) > [The truly greedy, it seems to me, are those who think they've a right to live well at the expense of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kelly/the-truly-greedy-it-seems-to-me-are-those-who-think-they-ve-a-right/) [Jack Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kelly/) > [One may gain one truth at the expense of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/one-may-gain-one-truth-at-the-expense-of-another/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The cost of quality is the expense of doing things wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-crosby/the-cost-of-quality-is-the-expense-of-doing-things-wrong/) [Phil Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-crosby/) > [...By allowing businesses to expense up to $75,000, it means somebody is more likely to buy a copying machine, or in this case, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/by-allowing-businesses-to-expense-up-to-75-000-it-means-somebody-is/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Be at the pains of putting down every single item of expenditure whatsoever every day which could possibly be twisted into a professional expense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/be-at-the-pains-of-putting-down-every-single-item-of-expenditure/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [All I learned from Eliel Saarinen was how to make out an expense account](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/all-i-learned-from-eliel-saarinen-was-how-to-make-out-an-expense/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [For there to be an expense, there must be income somewhere else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/for-there-to-be-an-expense-there-must-be-income-somewhere-else/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [There is no happiness for people at the expense of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/there-is-no-happiness-for-people-at-the-expense-of-other-people/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [Thou shalt have one God only: who Would be at the expense of two?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/thou-shalt-have-one-god-only-who-would-be-at-the-expense-of-two/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Nothing is certain in London but expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/nothing-is-certain-in-london-but-expense/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [..no meal is good enough to justify all the money and effort wasted in preparing it. It is an illusion and an expense. Live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/no-meal-is-good-enough-to-justify-all-the-money-and-effort-wasted-in/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/make-no-expense-but-to-do-good-to-others-or-yourself/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More by Frederic Bastiat > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [If every person has the right to defend - even by force - his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/if-every-person-has-the-right-to-defend-even-by-force-his-person-his/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/sometimes-the-law-defends-plunder-and-participates-in-it-sometimes/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Slavery, protection, and monopoly find defenders, not only in those who profit by them, but in those who suffer by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/slavery-protection-and-monopoly-find-defenders-not-only-in-those-who/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Often the masses are plundered and do not know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/often-the-masses-are-plundered-and-do-not-know-it/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Here I encounter the most popular fallacy of our times. It is not considered sufficient that the law should guarantee to every citizen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/here-i-encounter-the-most-popular-fallacy-of-our-times-it-is-not/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-state-is-the-great-fictitious-entity-by-which-everyone-seeks-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [There is in all of a strong disposition to believe that anything lawful is also legitimate. This belief is so widespread that many persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/there-is-in-all-of-a-strong-disposition-to-believe-that-anything/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [I believe that my theory is correct; for whatever be the question upon which I am arguing, whether it be religious, philosophical, political, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/i-believe-that-my-theory-is-correct-for-whatever-be-the-question-upon/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [The balance of trade is an article of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-balance-of-trade-is-an-article-of-faith/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [There are people who think that plunder loses all its immorality as soon as it becomes legal. Personally, I cannot imagine a more alarming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/there-are-people-who-think-that-plunder-loses-all-its-immorality-as/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“And now, after having vainly inflicted upon the social body so many systems, let them end where they ought to have begun—reject all systems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/and-now-after-having-vainly-inflicted-upon-the-social-body-so-many/) [Frédéric Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [When misguided public opinion honors what is despicable and despises what is honorable, punishes virtue and rewards vice, encourages what is harmful and discourages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/when-misguided-public-opinion-honors-what-is-despicable-and-despises/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/there-is-only-one-difference-between-a-bad-economist-and-a-good-one/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) [Explore all 182 Frederic Bastiat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) ## More Expense quotes > [“If a problem can be solved by writing a check, it's not a problem, it's an expense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/if-a-problem-can-be-solved-by-writing-a-check-it-s-not-a-problem-it-s/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“I will go tell him of Hermia's flight: Then to the wood will he to-morrow night Pursue her; and for this intelligence If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-will-go-tell-him-of-hermia-s-flight-then-to-the-wood-will-he-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [What's funny is funny. It doesn't matter what expense it's at. There are people who don't like that and I understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-del-rio/what-s-funny-is-funny-it-doesn-t-matter-what-expense-it-s-at-there/) [Bianca Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-del-rio/) > [For most of human history, the main goal of states has been to conquer land and to achieve glory for their rulers, usually at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/for-most-of-human-history-the-main-goal-of-states-has-been-to-conquer/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [There are any number of very hard working people in Hollywood who deserve recognition. Mostly its the artisans and crafts persons - the 'below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/there-are-any-number-of-very-hard-working-people-in-hollywood-who/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [I understand that in these difficult economic times, the potential for any additional expense is not welcomed by American businesses. But in the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-locke/i-understand-that-in-these-difficult-economic-times-the-potential-for/) [Gary Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-locke/) > [When I play a game, I want to play, not necessarily laugh. If you try to make me laugh at the expense of interactivity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/when-i-play-a-game-i-want-to-play-not-necessarily-laugh-if-you-try-to/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [I think writers have become hypnotised by the number of jokes on the page at the expense of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-schwartz/i-think-writers-have-become-hypnotised-by-the-number-of-jokes-on-the/) [Sherwood Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-schwartz/) > [Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/make-no-expense-but-to-do-good-to-others-or-yourself/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I'm not big on fat jokes. That's a little beneath me. I'm not a huge fan of making a joke - and as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-showalter/i-m-not-big-on-fat-jokes-that-s-a-little-beneath-me-i-m-not-a-huge/) [Michael Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-showalter/) > [Late 19th-century populists saw bankers and industrialists manipulating markets to enrich themselves at the expense of small farmers and labourers and favoured political candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/late-19th-century-populists-saw-bankers-and-industrialists/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Well there are those who think you can only succeed at someone else's expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/well-there-are-those-who-think-you-can-only-succeed-at-someone-else-s/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [In law, nothing is certain but the expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/in-law-nothing-is-certain-but-the-expense/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [..no meal is good enough to justify all the money and effort wasted in preparing it. It is an illusion and an expense. Live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/no-meal-is-good-enough-to-justify-all-the-money-and-effort-wasted-in/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Nothing is certain in London but expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/nothing-is-certain-in-london-but-expense/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) [Browse all 122 Expense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's always tempting to do good at someone else's expense", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederic Bastiat" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someone-else-s-expense/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expense" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someone-else-s-expense/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/frederic-bastiat-2151_expense_it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someo_1207155.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's always tempting to do good at someone else's expense” — Frederic Bastiat", "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": "Frederic Bastiat", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's always tempting to do good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someone-else-s-expense/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/it-s-always-tempting-to-do-good-at-someone-else-s-expense/#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 } } ] } ```