--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men are never so good or so bad as their…" description: "\"Men are never so good or so bad as their opinions.\" — James Mackintosh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/james-mackintosh-30687_men_men-are-never-so-good-or-so-bad-as-their_1723067.jpg" --- # Men are never so good or so bad as their opinions. ![“Men are never so good or so bad as their opinions.” quote by James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/james-mackintosh-30687_men_men-are-never-so-good-or-so-bad-as-their_1723067.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/james-mackintosh-30687_men_men-are-never-so-good-or-so-bad-as-their_1723067.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/james-mackintosh-30687_men_men-are-never-so-good-or-so-bad-as-their_1723067.jpg) > “Men are never so good or so bad as their opinions.” [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opinions fluctuate; a person’s character is not defined solely by their views. **In simple terms:** Character isn’t just opinions. Key Takeaway Judge beyond statements. Themes character opinions judgment identity Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - job interviews - friendship decisions - leadership evaluation Key Concepts psychology ethics self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess someone’s true character? - When have you misjudged based on opinions? A Different Perspective Strong opinions can mask deeper flaws, making judgment harder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) ## Related quotes > [“Remember that everyone has opinions and they are often bad. Opinions are easy to produce; everyone has plenty of them and most people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/remember-that-everyone-has-opinions-and-they-are-often-bad-opinions/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“I imagine that it would be unspeakably lovely to die with the terrible knowledge that I have offended whosoever I love the most and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/i-imagine-that-it-would-be-unspeakably-lovely-to-die-with-the/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“there is an overabundance of confidently expressed bad opinions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/there-is-an-overabundance-of-confidently-expressed-bad-opinions/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [We are in a culture where it's so easy to just turn things off that you don't like. And I think that doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/we-are-in-a-culture-where-it-s-so-easy-to-just-turn-things-off-that/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [Time must be healing my broken heart, as I now know this... Your opinions of me were wrong - I am not that bad.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-must-be-healing-my-broken-heart-as-i-now-know-this-your-opinions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is common for conversations to consist of people sharing their conclusions rather than exploring the reasoning that led to those conclusions. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/it-is-common-for-conversations-to-consist-of-people-sharing-their/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [there are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion; and what remains but to take it ready-made from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/there-are-very-few-who-can-think-but-every-man-wants-to-have-an/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [All men are good when free from passion, interest, or error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenio-maria-de-hostos/all-men-are-good-when-free-from-passion-interest-or-error/) [Eugenio Maria de Hostos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenio-maria-de-hostos/) > [I'm obsessed with politics, and I talk about it any chance I can get. I have strong opinions about how the world should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-m-obsessed-with-politics-and-i-talk-about-it-any-chance-i-can-get-i/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I change my opinions often, but not my way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/i-change-my-opinions-often-but-not-my-way-of-thinking/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Opinions have vested interests just as men have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/opinions-have-vested-interests-just-as-men-have/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [For most men (till by losing rendered sager), Will back their own opinions by a wager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/for-most-men-till-by-losing-rendered-sager-will-back-their-own/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [People are going to always have their opinions whether you date a black man or not. I've had girlfriends, family members comment on black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/people-are-going-to-always-have-their-opinions-whether-you-date-a/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [I never minded giving my opinions. They are just opinions, and I had studied music and I had strong feelings. I was happy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-never-minded-giving-my-opinions-they-are-just-opinions-and-i-had/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I have my own opinions; you can have your own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-my-own-opinions-you-can-have-your-own-opinions/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by James Mackintosh > [The frivolous work of polished idleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-frivolous-work-of-polished-idleness/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [It is right to be content with what we have, never with what we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/it-is-right-to-be-content-with-what-we-have-never-with-what-we-are/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [The powers of a man's mind are directly proportional to the quantity of coffee he drank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-powers-of-a-man-s-mind-are-directly-proportional-to-the-quantity/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [It is right to be contented with what we have, never with what we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/it-is-right-to-be-contented-with-what-we-have-never-with-what-we-are/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [The wealth of society is its stock of productive labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-wealth-of-society-is-its-stock-of-productive-labor/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [Maxims are the condensed good sense of nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/maxims-are-the-condensed-good-sense-of-nations/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [A vice utterly at variance with the happiness of him who harbors it, and, as such, condemned by self-love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/a-vice-utterly-at-variance-with-the-happiness-of-him-who-harbors-it/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [Those who preached faith, or in other words a pure mind, have always produced more popular virtue than those who preached good acts, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/those-who-preached-faith-or-in-other-words-a-pure-mind-have-always/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [It is not because we have been free, but because we have a right to be free, that we ought to demand freedom. 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These are the highest virtues; and the fictions which taught them were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/every-fiction-since-homer-has-taught-friendship-patriotism-generosity/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [The Commons, faithful to their system, remained in a wise and masterly inactivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-commons-faithful-to-their-system-remained-in-a-wise-and-masterly/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [Whatever is popular deserves attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/whatever-is-popular-deserves-attention/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [Diffused knowledge immortalizes itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/diffused-knowledge-immortalizes-itself/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [The feminine graces of Madame de Sevigne's genius are exquisitely charming; but the philosophy and eloquence of Madame de Stael are above the distinction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-feminine-graces-of-madame-de-sevigne-s-genius-are-exquisitely/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [Those who differ most from the opinions of their fellow men are the most confident of the truth of their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/those-who-differ-most-from-the-opinions-of-their-fellow-men-are-the/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) [Explore all 17 James Mackintosh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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