--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good cause can become bad if we fight…" description: "\"A good cause can become bad if we fight for it with means that are indiscriminately murderous. A bad cause can become good if enough people fight for i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/freeman-dyson-1435_causes_a-good-cause-can-become-bad-if-we-fight_945722.jpg" --- # A good cause can become bad if we fight for it with means… ![“A good cause can become bad if we fight for it with means that are indiscriminately murderous. A bad cause can become good if enough people fight for it in a spirit of comradeship and self-sacrifice. In the end it is how you fight, as much as why you fight, that makes your cause good or bad.” quote by Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/freeman-dyson-1435_causes_a-good-cause-can-become-bad-if-we-fight_945722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/freeman-dyson-1435_causes_a-good-cause-can-become-bad-if-we-fight_945722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/freeman-dyson-1435_causes_a-good-cause-can-become-bad-if-we-fight_945722.jpg) > “A good cause can become bad if we fight for it with means that are indiscriminately murderous. A bad cause can become good if enough people fight for it in a spirit of comradeship and self-sacrifice. In the end it is how you fight, as much as why you fight, that makes your cause good or bad.” [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The morality of a cause depends on the methods used, not just the intentions behind it. **In simple terms:** Means matter as much as ends. Key Takeaway Choose ethical means. Themes ethics conflict principles Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - military strategy - social movements Key Concepts moral philosophy just war theory Questions to Reflect On - What methods are acceptable for a good cause? - Can a bad cause be justified by noble means? A Different Perspective Ends can be corrupted by immoral tactics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-cause-1650237/) [Bad Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-fight-1650238/) [Cause Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-bad-1294440/) [Cause Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-good-1368825/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Comradeship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comradeship/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Good cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-cause/) [Good causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-causes/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-sacrifice/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Worth fighting for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-fighting-for/) ## Related quotes > [Because one cause is bad does not make the opposing cause good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/because-one-cause-is-bad-does-not-make-the-opposing-cause-good/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Bravery is good when the cause is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/bravery-is-good-when-the-cause-is-good/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [If you get called on to help somebody pull focus to some good cause, that's good use of your fame. I don't try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/if-you-get-called-on-to-help-somebody-pull-focus-to-some-good-cause/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [In the end it is how you fight, as much as why you fight, that makes your cause good or bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/in-the-end-it-is-how-you-fight-as-much-as-why-you-fight-that-makes/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [When you lose badly, when you get knocked out and the ref has to stop it, that's when you know it's been a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dereck-chisora/when-you-lose-badly-when-you-get-knocked-out-and-the-ref-has-to-stop/) [Dereck Chisora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dereck-chisora/) > [“The good guys fight for freedom, justice and most words that don’t put food on the table. 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Someone takes a fall, an ambulance comes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/parties-are-only-bad-when-a-fight-breaks-out-when-men-fight-over/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [I don't want to be typed as a villain or a comedian. One would be as bad as the other. I had to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-don-t-want-to-be-typed-as-a-villain-or-a-comedian-one-would-be-as/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I love a good fight and I think a bad fight can ruin a movie. I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garret-dillahunt/i-love-a-good-fight-and-i-think-a-bad-fight-can-ruin-a-movie-i-really/) [Garret Dillahunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garret-dillahunt/) > [“..."ya gotta be one of the good guys...'cause there's too many of the bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-ennis-and-steve-dillon/ya-gotta-be-one-of-the-good-guys-cause-there-s-too-many-of-the-bad/) [Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-ennis-and-steve-dillon/) > [I need you by me, beside me, to guide me, to hold me, to scold me, cause when I'm bad, I'm so, so bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-summer/i-need-you-by-me-beside-me-to-guide-me-to-hold-me-to-scold-me-cause/) [Donna Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-summer/) > [When religion is good, it will take care of itself. When it is not able to take care of itself, and God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/when-religion-is-good-it-will-take-care-of-itself-when-it-is-not-able/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I want to be myself. Even if with some crowds that's going to cause a bad relationship, well then be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniil-medvedev/i-want-to-be-myself-even-if-with-some-crowds-that-s-going-to-cause-a/) [Daniil Medvedev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniil-medvedev/) ## More by Freeman Dyson > [For a physicist mathematics is not just a tool by means of which phenomena can be calculated, it is the main source of concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-a-physicist-mathematics-is-not-just-a-tool-by-means-of-which/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“It is impossible to make real progress in technology without gambling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-is-impossible-to-make-real-progress-in-technology-without-gambling/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“Sanity is, in essence, nothing more than the ability to live in harmony with nature's laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/sanity-is-in-essence-nothing-more-than-the-ability-to-live-in-harmony/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“I do not feel like an alien in this universe. 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I can only answer with another question: do you think we are wise enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/you-ask-what-is-the-meaning-or-purpose-of-life-i-can-only-answer-with/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [When World War II came along, which was when I was a teenager, we all expected we would have anthrax bombs and this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/when-world-war-ii-came-along-which-was-when-i-was-a-teenager-we-all/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It has become part of the accepted wisdom to say that the twentieth century was the century of physics and the twenty-first century will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-has-become-part-of-the-accepted-wisdom-to-say-that-the-twentieth/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Lucky individuals in each generation find technology appropriate to their needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/lucky-individuals-in-each-generation-find-technology-appropriate-to/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [A model is done when nothing else can be taken out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/a-model-is-done-when-nothing-else-can-be-taken-out/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [I am hoping that the scientists and politicians who have been blindly demonizing carbon dioxide for 37 years will one day open their eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-am-hoping-that-the-scientists-and-politicians-who-have-been-blindly/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Intelligence may indeed be a benign influence creating isolated groups of philosopher-kings far apart in the heavens... On the other hand, intelligence may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/intelligence-may-indeed-be-a-benign-influence-creating-isolated/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Most of the crackpot papers which are submitted to The Physical Review are rejected, not because it is impossible to understand them, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/most-of-the-crackpot-papers-which-are-submitted-to-the-physical/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) [Explore all 241 Freeman Dyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## More Causes quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [Get out from that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/) [Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. 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