--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing by the rules, one does the best…" description: "\"Playing by the rules, one does the best he can, irrespective of the social consequences. Whereas in making the rules, people ought to be concerned with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg" --- # Playing by the rules, one does the best he can… ![“Playing by the rules, one does the best he can, irrespective of the social consequences. Whereas in making the rules, people ought to be concerned with the social consequences and not with their personal interests.” quote by George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg) > “Playing by the rules, one does the best he can, irrespective of the social consequences. Whereas in making the rules, people ought to be concerned with the social consequences and not with their personal interests.” [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When individuals follow existing rules they focus on personal performance, but rule‑makers must consider broader societal impact rather than self‑interest. **In simple terms:** Rule‑followers act personally; rule‑makers must think socially. Key Takeaway Balance personal effort with social responsibility. Themes ethics responsibility social impact leadership Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business decisions - government regulation - community projects Key Concepts public policy market dynamics individual agency Questions to Reflect On - How do your actions affect others? - What responsibilities do rule‑makers have? A Different Perspective Ignoring social consequences can lead to systemic harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-interest/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) ## Related quotes > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do-2/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [Breaking accepted rules does bring people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-zeldin/breaking-accepted-rules-does-bring-people-together/) [Theodore Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-zeldin/) > [I have made it a principle to give advice that does not serve my personal interest but rather the common interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/i-have-made-it-a-principle-to-give-advice-that-does-not-serve-my/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [If somebody else is making the rules for you, no matter how good the payoff is for you, you're being conned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-rappoport/if-somebody-else-is-making-the-rules-for-you-no-matter-how-good-the/) [Jon Rappoport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-rappoport/) > [People are always making rules for themselves and always finding loop-holes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rotsler/people-are-always-making-rules-for-themselves-and-always-finding-loop/) [William Rotsler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rotsler/) > [Mathematics is about making up rules and seeing what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-hart/mathematics-is-about-making-up-rules-and-seeing-what-happens/) Vi Hart > [“No point making rules against things that are impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/no-point-making-rules-against-things-that-are-impossible/) [G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/) > [Here was something that I did all the time, and thought nothing of it, and it turns out the rest of the world thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-time-and-thought-nothing-of-it/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [Curiously, only in sports do we agree to eschew technological advances, making rules, for example, to limit the power potential of baseball bats. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-logsdon/curiously-only-in-sports-do-we-agree-to-eschew-technological-advances/) [Gene Logsdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-logsdon/) > [“I don't know why we human beings are so obsessed with making rules about everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-don-t-know-why-we-human-beings-are-so-obsessed-with-making-rules/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When making rules, explain the principles behind them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/when-making-rules-explain-the-principles-behind-them/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I am very into making up my own rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-am-very-into-making-up-my-own-rules/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [We can no longer save the world by playing by the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/we-can-no-longer-save-the-world-by-playing-by-the-rules/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [“If you are constrained to playing by the rules while your opponent is not, then you are certain to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-t-smith/if-you-are-constrained-to-playing-by-the-rules-while-your-opponent-is/) Gary T. Smith ## More by George Soros > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [We must not forget; but we must forgive. Suffering often such compassion from the Jewish community. It was Jewish groups in the US who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-must-not-forget-but-we-must-forgive-suffering-often-such/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I very often used to get backaches due to the fact that I was wrong. Whenever you are wrong you have to fight or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/i-very-often-used-to-get-backaches-due-to-the-fact-that-i-was-wrong/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [We are the most powerful nation on earth. No external power, no terrorist organization can defeat us. But we can defeat ourselves by getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-are-the-most-powerful-nation-on-earth-no-external-power-no/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Markets are constantly in a state of uncertainty and flux and money is made by discounting the obvious and betting on the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-constantly-in-a-state-of-uncertainty-and-flux-and-money/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [What works for Germany can't work for the rest of Europe: No country can run a chronic surplus without others running deficits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/what-works-for-germany-can-t-work-for-the-rest-of-europe-no-country/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [If truth be known, I carried some rather potent messianic fantasies with me from childhood which I felt I had to control, otherwise I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/if-truth-be-known-i-carried-some-rather-potent-messianic-fantasies/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Find the trend whose premise is false, and bet against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/find-the-trend-whose-premise-is-false-and-bet-against-it/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [ We \[at Soros Fund Management\] use options and more exotic derivatives sparingly. We try to catch new trends early and in later stages we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-at-soros-fund-management-use-options-and-more-exotic-derivatives/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [“On the abstract level, I have turned the belief in my own fallibility into the cornerstone of an elaborate philosophy. On a personal level,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/on-the-abstract-level-i-have-turned-the-belief-in-my-own-fallibility/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [The main difference between me and other people who have amassed this kind of money is that I am primarily interested in ideas, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/the-main-difference-between-me-and-other-people-who-have-amassed-this/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [By creating the European Central Bank, the member states exposed their own government bonds to the risk of default. Developed countries that issue bonds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/by-creating-the-european-central-bank-the-member-states-exposed-their/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Every bubble has two components: something - some real trend, and a misconception about that trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/every-bubble-has-two-components-something-some-real-trend-and-a/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) [Explore all 225 George Soros quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) ## More Concerned quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/what-i-was-concerned-about-when-i-wrote-the-downward-spiral-record/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The time has come when the whole world must be concerned about me. From now on, American Christianity must follow me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/the-time-has-come-when-the-whole-world-must-be-concerned-about-me/) [Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I feel like I won the Lotto, as far as that show's concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gallagher/i-feel-like-i-won-the-lotto-as-far-as-that-show-s-concerned/) [Peter Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gallagher/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) Deke Richards > [“Is something bothering you, Sam?” Nixon asked with a deep furrow between his concerned chocolate eyes. “You mean besides the dead body lying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-dyllin/is-something-bothering-you-sam-nixon-asked-with-a-deep-furrow-between/) [D.T. Dyllin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-dyllin/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) Browse all 3,551 Concerned quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Playing by the rules, one does the best he can, irrespective of the social consequences. Whereas in making the rules, people ought to be concerned with the social consequences and not with their personal interests.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Soros" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-he-can-irrespective-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Concerned" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-he-can-irrespective-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/237/george-soros-1593_concerned_playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-h_200830.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Playing by the rules, one does the best he can, irrespective of the social consequences. Whereas in making…” — George Soros", "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": "George Soros", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Playing by the rules, one does...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-he-can-irrespective-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-he-can-irrespective-of-the/#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 } } ] } ```