--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is magnificent about humans is when…" description: "\"What is magnificent about humans is when they decide to turn and stand. If they respond with non-violence on principle and hold their ground, they are ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/james-cromwell-12146_humans_what-is-magnificent-about-humans-is-when_421173.jpg" --- # What is magnificent about humans is when they decide to… ![“What is magnificent about humans is when they decide to turn and stand. If they respond with non-violence on principle and hold their ground, they are really magnificent.” quote by James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/james-cromwell-12146_humans_what-is-magnificent-about-humans-is-when_421173.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/james-cromwell-12146_humans_what-is-magnificent-about-humans-is-when_421173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/james-cromwell-12146_humans_what-is-magnificent-about-humans-is-when_421173.jpg) > “What is magnificent about humans is when they decide to turn and stand. If they respond with non-violence on principle and hold their ground, they are really magnificent.” [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Non‑violent resistance and steadfastness are heroic qualities. **In simple terms:** Standing firm non‑violently is admirable. Key Takeaway Support peaceful protest. Themes ethics non‑violence courage humanity Mood inspirational reflective Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - activism - social movements - personal integrity - education programs Key Concepts Moral philosophy civil disobedience Questions to Reflect On - When is non‑violence effective? - How can one stay firm under pressure? A Different Perspective May overlook necessity of force in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Non violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-violence/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [And I had a big opportunity with Richard Brooks, The Professionals, which is really a magnificent movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-cardinale/and-i-had-a-big-opportunity-with-richard-brooks-the-professionals/) [Claudia Cardinale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-cardinale/) > [Citizens across the United States are now uniting in a great cause to establish a Department of Peace, seeking nothing less than the transformation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/citizens-across-the-united-states-are-now-uniting-in-a-great-cause-to/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [“If we have a higher degree of Non-violence within us, a lion will forget its violent intent towards us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-we-have-a-higher-degree-of-non-violence-within-us-a-lion-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Violent means will give violent swaraj. That would be a menace to the world and to India herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/violent-means-will-give-violent-swaraj-that-would-be-a-menace-to-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Non-violence is the policy of the vegetable kingdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/non-violence-is-the-policy-of-the-vegetable-kingdom/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-believe-that-where-there-is-a-choice-between-cowardice-and-non/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [...people think non-violence is really weak and non-militant. These are misconceptions that people have because they don't understand what non-violence means. Non-violence takes more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/people-think-non-violence-is-really-weak-and-non-militant-these-are/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“When I feel angry, I want to say something mean, or yell, or hit. But feeling like I want to is not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-maude-spelman/when-i-feel-angry-i-want-to-say-something-mean-or-yell-or-hit-but/) Cornelia Maude Spelman > [Non-violence has suffered its biggest defeat in the hands of people who most want to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/non-violence-has-suffered-its-biggest-defeat-in-the-hands-of-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [The sincere effort to accept and promote the human values - Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Non-Violence and Love. These five values are a essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/the-sincere-effort-to-accept-and-promote-the-human-values-truth-right/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [I completely believe in peace and non-violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananya-panday/i-completely-believe-in-peace-and-non-violence/) [Ananya Panday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananya-panday/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I really believe in non-violence, but I also believe in a short of resistance that has to be respectful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-paul/i-really-believe-in-non-violence-but-i-also-believe-in-a-short-of/) [Alexandra Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-paul/) > [Though I cannot claim to be a Christian in the sectarian sense, the example of Jesus suffering is a factor in the composition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/though-i-cannot-claim-to-be-a-christian-in-the-sectarian-sense-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Don Alejandro cut in with advice I have never forgotten. "It is only when a man knows reason is not on his side that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-p-romulo/don-alejandro-cut-in-with-advice-i-have-never-forgotten-it-is-only/) [Carlos P. Romulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-p-romulo/) ## More by James Cromwell > [It's a wonderful thing as time goes by, to be with someone who looks into your face when you've gotten old and still sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/it-s-a-wonderful-thing-as-time-goes-by-to-be-with-someone-who-looks/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [I say a lot of things I shouldn't say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/i-say-a-lot-of-things-i-shouldn-t-say/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [During the run up to the Iraq War, Mike Farrell and I did get on television kind of frequently, but then they saw that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/during-the-run-up-to-the-iraq-war-mike-farrell-and-i-did-get-on/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [I think the relationship of indigenous people to their environment... that those were ethical omnivores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/i-think-the-relationship-of-indigenous-people-to-their-environment/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Barney Miller' was a lot of fun. I'm very fond of Abe Vigoda. Most - a lot of people on that cast - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/barney-miller-was-a-lot-of-fun-i-m-very-fond-of-abe-vigoda-most-a-lot/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [As a character actor, I've learned that you have to watch yourself because nobody else is watching. Nobody is concerned with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/as-a-character-actor-i-ve-learned-that-you-have-to-watch-yourself/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [The attitude we have towards our personal pets as opposed to the animals that suffer under the factory farm is hypocritical and delusional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/the-attitude-we-have-towards-our-personal-pets-as-opposed-to-the/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [I don't look like a leading man, whatever they look like. It's changing a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/i-don-t-look-like-a-leading-man-whatever-they-look-like-it-s-changing/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Until men learn to celebrate and operate on the feminine aspect of themselves and stop the oppression of women, children, the environment, other species,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/until-men-learn-to-celebrate-and-operate-on-the-feminine-aspect-of/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [All of them - my father, mother, step-mother, and grandmother - were all wonderful actors and performers and they are an inspiration to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/all-of-them-my-father-mother-step-mother-and-grandmother-were-all/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Authority is the assumption that someone else knows better than you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/authority-is-the-assumption-that-someone-else-knows-better-than-you/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [I have a film called 'A Lonely Place For Dying,' which is the most watched film on the Internet, over 3 million hits, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/i-have-a-film-called-a-lonely-place-for-dying-which-is-the-most/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [What happens when you're naked is that people get that you're really just a human being. There are parts of it that are pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/what-happens-when-you-re-naked-is-that-people-get-that-you-re-really/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [Studios are run by those who are way too old or mostly young, who don't think creatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/studios-are-run-by-those-who-are-way-too-old-or-mostly-young-who-don/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [When I did 'Babe' I wanted to talk about animal rights without going through some convoluted justifications about using animal products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/when-i-did-babe-i-wanted-to-talk-about-animal-rights-without-going/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) [Explore all 56 James Cromwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) ## More Humans quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [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/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) Kenan Malik > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) [Browse all 32,126 Humans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is magnificent about humans is when they decide to turn and stand. 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