--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's difficult to gauge that. With a bad…" description: "\"It's difficult to gauge that. With a bad guy you just know you're bad. To play a nice guy is harder - unless you are a very nice person like me of cour..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/james-d-arcy-21647_bad_it-s-difficult-to-gauge-that-with-a-bad_1128454.png" --- # It's difficult to gauge that. With a bad guy you just know… ![“It's difficult to gauge that. With a bad guy you just know you're bad. To play a nice guy is harder - unless you are a very nice person like me of course.” quote by James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/james-d-arcy-21647_bad_it-s-difficult-to-gauge-that-with-a-bad_1128454.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/james-d-arcy-21647_bad_it-s-difficult-to-gauge-that-with-a-bad_1128454.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/james-d-arcy-21647_bad_it-s-difficult-to-gauge-that-with-a-bad_1128454.png) > “It's difficult to gauge that. With a bad guy you just know you're bad. To play a nice guy is harder - unless you are a very nice person like me of course.” [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing a good character is harder because it requires authentic virtue, unlike the obvious evil of a villain. **In simple terms:** Being good is challenging. Key Takeaway Cultivate genuine kindness. Themes morality character virtue authenticity challenge Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - team dynamics - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical complexity character development self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - What makes genuine goodness difficult? - How can we recognize true virtue? A Different Perspective Goodness can be perceived as weak; authenticity matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Gauge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gauge/) [Nice guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-guy/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [Some people have questioned whether or not I can play a nice guy. Sometimes you can't win for losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiklis/some-people-have-questioned-whether-or-not-i-can-play-a-nice-guy/) [Michael Chiklis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiklis/) > [I'm dying to play a nice guy! No one's willing to cast me. They know I'm all right at bashing people up, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/i-m-dying-to-play-a-nice-guy-no-one-s-willing-to-cast-me-they-know-i/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [All the movies where I play nice guys don't seem to do very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/all-the-movies-where-i-play-nice-guys-don-t-seem-to-do-very-well/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Everybody has an inside scoop, so just be a nice guy. Be a nice person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hartley/everybody-has-an-inside-scoop-so-just-be-a-nice-guy-be-a-nice-person/) [Justin Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hartley/) > [I AM AN NICE PERSON-NO LIE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare/i-am-an-nice-person-no-lie/) [Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare/) > [I describe him as a very nice person ... a very sweet person, ... And I have nothing bad to say about him ... nothing at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly/i-describe-him-as-a-very-nice-person-a-very-sweet-person-and-i-have/) [Nelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly/) > [It's nice to do nice things, innit? I'm a nice person, deep down, I do nice things all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/it-s-nice-to-do-nice-things-innit-i-m-a-nice-person-deep-down-i-do/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I will take Al Sharpton seriously. And I know him, he's a nice, nice person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/i-will-take-al-sharpton-seriously-and-i-know-him-he-s-a-nice-nice/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [“You thought what? That because you’re a nice guy, my panties will just drop because you deserve to have my thighs around your ears?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-thought-what-that-because-you-re-a-nice-guy-my-panties-will-just/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“and confused if someone does not appreciate their niceness. Others often sense this and avoid giving them feedback not only, effectively blocking the nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/and-confused-if-someone-does-not-appreciate-their-niceness-others/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) > [Yeah, I am Swedish and a nice person. There is nothing wrong with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lindelof/yeah-i-am-swedish-and-a-nice-person-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-that/) [Victor Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lindelof/) > [My first project was to build an ionization gauge control circuit for Professor Edgar Everhart's Cockcroft-Walton accelerator. In those days, vacuum tubes were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/my-first-project-was-to-build-an-ionization-gauge-control-circuit-for/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [You have to see if the batsman is coming out, if he is staying back, what his grip is like, to gauge his intentions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/you-have-to-see-if-the-batsman-is-coming-out-if-he-is-staying-back/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [When people buy, rescue, or otherwise acquire a dog from unscrupulous breeders or amateur rescue groups, they are making a decision with ethical consequences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/when-people-buy-rescue-or-otherwise-acquire-a-dog-from-unscrupulous/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [When you're 12, you have no gauge for what's hip or not hip - or even who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/when-you-re-12-you-have-no-gauge-for-what-s-hip-or-not-hip-or-even/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) ## More by James D'arcy > [I respect journalism. I was always very aware of journalism from a very broad point of view, but I'd say my baptism by fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-respect-journalism-i-was-always-very-aware-of-journalism-from-a/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I've played my fair share of unpleasant character, and I have to tell you that you sleep better when you're playing fun characters. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-ve-played-my-fair-share-of-unpleasant-character-and-i-have-to-tell/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [It felt good doing a physical job, and going home each evening feeling like I had really done a day's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/it-felt-good-doing-a-physical-job-and-going-home-each-evening-feeling/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I, like many people, had some sort of preconception about Madonna. One of the preconceptions was that she had the extraordinary work ethic, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-like-many-people-had-some-sort-of-preconception-about-madonna-one/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [The reason I wanted to be an actor is that I don't want to play me for the rest of my life and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/the-reason-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-is-that-i-don-t-want-to-play-me/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [There are lots of people I admire and respect, but I don't necessarily want to be like them. I'm to happy being myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/there-are-lots-of-people-i-admire-and-respect-but-i-don-t-necessarily/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I find it incredibly romantic that people should fight for a cause they believe in and be prepared to die for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-find-it-incredibly-romantic-that-people-should-fight-for-a-cause/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I'm not really very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-m-not-really-very-ambitious/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [There is an odd sense of responsibility attached to appearing in a drama about a real piece of history. A work of fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/there-is-an-odd-sense-of-responsibility-attached-to-appearing-in-a/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I went further and further back through the centuries to get a sense of perspective but now at least I understand why Irish history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-went-further-and-further-back-through-the-centuries-to-get-a-sense/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I talked to everyone about the project: actors and extras, members of the crew and passers by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-talked-to-everyone-about-the-project-actors-and-extras-members-of/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [All directors on all sets behave slightly differently depending on what the scene is. For example, if you are doing a love scene, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/all-directors-on-all-sets-behave-slightly-differently-depending-on/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [Baddies always do get the best lines, that's the honest truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/baddies-always-do-get-the-best-lines-that-s-the-honest-truth/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I don't have any expectations as an actor and being rich and famous is not my driving force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-don-t-have-any-expectations-as-an-actor-and-being-rich-and-famous/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I'm more interested in enjoying my life and looking after my family than being hugely successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-m-more-interested-in-enjoying-my-life-and-looking-after-my-family/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) [Explore all 28 James D'arcy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [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/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's difficult to gauge that. 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