--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is always useful to think badly about…" description: "\"It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit... No one likes to think of him or herself as a bad person. To tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/james-w-loewen-12569_attitude_it-is-always-useful-to-think-badly-about_2459111.png" --- # It is always useful to think badly about people one has… ![“It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit... No one likes to think of him or herself as a bad person. To treat badly another person whom we consider a reasonable human being creates a tension between act and attitude that demands resolution. We cannot…” quote by James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/james-w-loewen-12569_attitude_it-is-always-useful-to-think-badly-about_2459111.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/james-w-loewen-12569_attitude_it-is-always-useful-to-think-badly-about_2459111.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/james-w-loewen-12569_attitude_it-is-always-useful-to-think-badly-about_2459111.png) > “It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit... No one likes to think of him or herself as a bad person. To treat badly another person whom we consider a reasonable human being creates a tension between act and attitude that demands resolution. We cannot erase what we have done, and to alter our future behavior may not be in our interest. To change our attitude is easier.” [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing our own exploitation creates inner conflict that must be resolved for ethical growth. **In simple terms:** Seeing our own bad actions causes tension. Key Takeaway Address the tension by changing behavior. Themes ethics self‑reflection responsibility Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace dynamics - social activism - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive dissonance moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you align actions with a revised attitude? - What steps can you take to make amends? A Different Perspective Changing attitude alone may not repair harm done. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Bad person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-person/) [Badly Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badly-person-635906/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Erase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/erase/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Likes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likes/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Our future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-future/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Person Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-consider-635907/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Resolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolution/) [Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension/) [Think Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-badly-554734/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Treat Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-badly-635905/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) ## Related quotes > [It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/it-is-always-useful-to-think-badly-about-people-one-has-exploited-or/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [“Try not to think too badly of me as you read it. I was young and in love, and that rarely leads to wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/try-not-to-think-too-badly-of-me-as-you-read-it-i-was-young-and-in/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [I'm from the Midwest, so I always assumed, 'Well, I have to think badly of myself, because that's being humble.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/i-m-from-the-midwest-so-i-always-assumed-well-i-have-to-think-badly/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [If 10 out of 10 news articles about Jordi Alba are negative, it's normal that people think badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordi-alba/if-10-out-of-10-news-articles-about-jordi-alba-are-negative-it-s/) [Jordi Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordi-alba/) > [“If He were not God, then one would think it very badly planned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/if-he-were-not-god-then-one-would-think-it-very-badly-planned/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [I used to think... that people would think badly of me for various stuff they read. But now I accept it's just part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-key/i-used-to-think-that-people-would-think-badly-of-me-for-various-stuff/) [John Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-key/) > [“The real you, the inner you, loves and adores you; but you cut off that power when you think badly of yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-fitzmaurice/the-real-you-the-inner-you-loves-and-adores-you-but-you-cut-off-that/) [Sue Fitzmaurice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-fitzmaurice/) > [“If you study a lot because you are worried that others will think badly of you for being ignorant and you'll feel stupid, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen-zenji/if-you-study-a-lot-because-you-are-worried-that-others-will-think/) [Dogen Zenji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen-zenji/) > [“...if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/if-you-can-learn-a-simple-trick-scout-you-ll-get-along-a-lot-better/) [Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/) > [You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/you-never-really-understand-a-person-until-you-consider-things-from-3/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/you-never-really-understand-a-person-until-you-consider-things-from-2/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“First of all," he said, "if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/first-of-all-he-said-if-you-can-learn-a-simple-trick-scout-you-ll-get/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“You'll never really understand a person, until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haper-lee/you-ll-never-really-understand-a-person-until-you-consider-things/) [Haper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haper-lee/) > [You never understand a person until you consider things from his own point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/you-never-understand-a-person-until-you-consider-things-from-his-own/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—” “Sir?” “—until you climb into his skin and walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/you-never-really-understand-a-person-until-you-consider-things-from/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More by James W. Loewen > [Many Americans have never owned a book. And others have never owned a non-fiction book. Providing them with a 300-page paperback would get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/many-americans-have-never-owned-a-book-and-others-have-never-owned-a/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Textbooks pretty much have no real drama. They have no real storyline. To the extent they have a storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/textbooks-pretty-much-have-no-real-drama-they-have-no-real-storyline/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Taking ideas seriously does not fit with the rhetorical style of textbooks, which presents events so as to make them seem foreordained along a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/taking-ideas-seriously-does-not-fit-with-the-rhetorical-style-of/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Cherishing Columbus is a characteristic of white history, not American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/cherishing-columbus-is-a-characteristic-of-white-history-not-american/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [I often suggest in workshops that if you have 30 students in your American History course in 11th grade, or whatever grade level, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/i-often-suggest-in-workshops-that-if-you-have-30-students-in-your/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Unfortunately, marketing textbooks is like marketing fishing lures: the point is to catch fishermen, not fish. Thus many adopted textbooks are flashy to catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/unfortunately-marketing-textbooks-is-like-marketing-fishing-lures-the/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [As a result of the sufferings and hard labor they endured, the Indians choose and have chosen suicide. Occasionally a hundred have committed mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/as-a-result-of-the-sufferings-and-hard-labor-they-endured-the-indians/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [I think the first important thing is that usually most textbooks are not written by their authors. And so by author I mean the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/i-think-the-first-important-thing-is-that-usually-most-textbooks-are/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Teachers need to teach the subject rather than to teach the textbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/teachers-need-to-teach-the-subject-rather-than-to-teach-the-textbook/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [“No matter how thoroughly Native Americans acculturated, they could not succeed in white society. Whites would not let them. "Indians were always regarded as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/no-matter-how-thoroughly-native-americans-acculturated-they-could-not/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [“We seem to feel that a person like Helen Keller can be an inspiration only so long as she remains uncontroversial, one-dimensional. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/we-seem-to-feel-that-a-person-like-helen-keller-can-be-an-inspiration/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Nobody would ever want to read a textbook about the Civil War and then interrupt that for two pages about water rights in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/nobody-would-ever-want-to-read-a-textbook-about-the-civil-war-and/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Students will start finding history interesting when their teachers and textbooks stop lying to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/students-will-start-finding-history-interesting-when-their-teachers/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [“Students exit history textbooks without having developed the ability to think coherently about social life. Even”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/students-exit-history-textbooks-without-having-developed-the-ability/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [History can be a weapon, and it can be used against you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/history-can-be-a-weapon-and-it-can-be-used-against-you/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) [Explore all 54 James W. Loewen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) [Isaiah Harden (Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-harden-me/) > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) [Sheye Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheye-hassan/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit... No one likes to think of him or herself as a bad person. 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