--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's right and there's wrong. You got…" description: "\"There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/john-wayne-2572_alamo_there-s-right-and-there-s-wrong-you-got_1475680.jpg" --- # There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the… ![“There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but you're dead as a beaver hat.” quote by John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/john-wayne-2572_alamo_there-s-right-and-there-s-wrong-you-got_1475680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/john-wayne-2572_alamo_there-s-right-and-there-s-wrong-you-got_1475680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/john-wayne-2572_alamo_there-s-right-and-there-s-wrong-you-got_1475680.jpg) > “There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but you're dead as a beaver hat.” [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral choices are binary; choosing the right path leads to a purposeful life, while the wrong path leaves one empty. **In simple terms:** Choose right actions for a meaningful life. Key Takeaway Make ethical decisions. Themes morality choice consequence Mood serious inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career dilemmas - ethical leadership - daily habits Key Concepts ethical decision‑making life purpose personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What does “right” mean to you in a tough situation? - How can you stay true to your values? A Different Perspective Wrong choices can seem tempting but harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alamo/) [Beavers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beavers/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Got Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-living-2070107/) [Hats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hats/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-wrong/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/) [Walking around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-around/) [Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong/) ## Related quotes > [No matter how bad things get, you got to go on living, even if it kills you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/no-matter-how-bad-things-get-you-got-to-go-on-living-even-if-it-kills/) [Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/) > [“There is two things everybody got to find out for theirselves. They got to find out about love and they got to find out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/there-is-two-things-everybody-got-to-find-out-for-theirselves-they/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [I got to keep moving, I've got to keep living and I've got to keep working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/i-got-to-keep-moving-i-ve-got-to-keep-living-and-i-ve-got-to-keep/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) > [“No matter how bad things get, you've got to go on living, even if it kills you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholem-aleichem/no-matter-how-bad-things-get-you-ve-got-to-go-on-living-even-if-it/) [Sholem Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholem-aleichem/) > [Republic. I like the sound of the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/republic-i-like-the-sound-of-the-word/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/republic-i-like-the-sound-of-the-word-it-means-people-can-live-free/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I'd read up on the history of our country and I'd become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-d-read-up-on-the-history-of-our-country-and-i-d-become-fascinated/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [Boys, it is just like the Alamo. Somebody should have by God helped those Texans. I'm going to Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/boys-it-is-just-like-the-alamo-somebody-should-have-by-god-helped/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I found this really fantastic used record store in Japan, and I bought all these different records and different 45s, and one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-found-this-really-fantastic-used-record-store-in-japan-and-i-bought/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I never stopped thinking about the Alamo from that day to this. I'm a huge collector of memorabilia. I've got Davy Crockett's bullet pouch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-never-stopped-thinking-about-the-alamo-from-that-day-to-this-i-m-a/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [“Travis straightened himself into soldierly erectness. The weariness of his countenance melted into chiseled resolve, tightening his chin. “I stay here to defend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-a-willis/travis-straightened-himself-into-soldierly-erectness-the-weariness-of/) [Alicia A. Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-a-willis/) > [I've bought pretty much every book ever written about the Alamo, and I talk to my friends that I've made over the past 15,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-ve-bought-pretty-much-every-book-ever-written-about-the-alamo-and-i/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [I'm a 10th-generation Texan. My ancestor - Andrew Kent - fought at the Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-collins/i-m-a-10th-generation-texan-my-ancestor-andrew-kent-fought-at-the/) [Jessica Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-collins/) > [not one escaped to tell the fall of Alamo, The hundred & fifty are dumb yet at Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/not-one-escaped-to-tell-the-fall-of-alamo-the-hundred-fifty-are-dumb/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Texas is dicktown. No basement in the alamo. I didnt capitalize that on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/texas-is-dicktown-no-basement-in-the-alamo-i-didnt-capitalize-that-on/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) ## More by John Wayne > [When I was a sophomore at USC, I was a socialist, pretty much to the left. But not when I left the university. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/when-i-was-a-sophomore-at-usc-i-was-a-socialist-pretty-much-to-the/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [Don't ever for a minute make the mistake of looking down your nose at westerns. They're art - the good ones, I mean. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/don-t-ever-for-a-minute-make-the-mistake-of-looking-down-your-nose-at/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I'd read up on the history of our country and I'd become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-d-read-up-on-the-history-of-our-country-and-i-d-become-fascinated/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [This kind of war, you've gotta believe in what you're fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/this-kind-of-war-you-ve-gotta-believe-in-what-you-re-fighting-for/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [TRUE Courage is when you are scared to death and STILL saddle up and ride in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/true-courage-is-when-you-are-scared-to-death-and-still-saddle-up-and/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [“The worst part of it has been, I think, the adverse effect on family life. It kills off family conversation. And it’s harder to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/the-worst-part-of-it-has-been-i-think-the-adverse-effect-on-family/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [Nothing is so discouraging to an actor than to have to work for long hours upon hours in brightly lighted interior sets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/nothing-is-so-discouraging-to-an-actor-than-to-have-to-work-for-long/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I don't have to assert my virility. I think my career has shown that I'm not exactly a pantywaist. But I do take pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-don-t-have-to-assert-my-virility-i-think-my-career-has-shown-that-i/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [Government has no wealth, and when a politician promises to give you something for nothing, he must first confiscate that wealth from you --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/government-has-no-wealth-and-when-a-politician-promises-to-give-you/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [True grit is making a decision and standing by it, doing what must be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/true-grit-is-making-a-decision-and-standing-by-it-doing-what-must-be/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/when-you-come-slam-bang-up-against-trouble-it-never-looks-half-as-bad/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [Life is hard, but it's even harder when you're stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/life-is-hard-but-it-s-even-harder-when-you-re-stupid/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I never killed a man I didn't have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-never-killed-a-man-i-didn-t-have-to/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I eat as much as I ever did, I drink more than I should, and my sex life is none of your goddamned business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-eat-as-much-as-i-ever-did-i-drink-more-than-i-should-and-my-sex/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) [Explore all 160 John Wayne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) ## More Alamo quotes > [I'd read up on the history of our country and I'd become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-d-read-up-on-the-history-of-our-country-and-i-d-become-fascinated/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [not one escaped to tell the fall of Alamo, The hundred & fifty are dumb yet at Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/not-one-escaped-to-tell-the-fall-of-alamo-the-hundred-fifty-are-dumb/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I'm a 10th-generation Texan. My ancestor - Andrew Kent - fought at the Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-collins/i-m-a-10th-generation-texan-my-ancestor-andrew-kent-fought-at-the/) [Jessica Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-collins/) > [I've bought pretty much every book ever written about the Alamo, and I talk to my friends that I've made over the past 15,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-ve-bought-pretty-much-every-book-ever-written-about-the-alamo-and-i/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [“Travis straightened himself into soldierly erectness. The weariness of his countenance melted into chiseled resolve, tightening his chin. “I stay here to defend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-a-willis/travis-straightened-himself-into-soldierly-erectness-the-weariness-of/) [Alicia A. Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-a-willis/) > [I never stopped thinking about the Alamo from that day to this. I'm a huge collector of memorabilia. I've got Davy Crockett's bullet pouch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-never-stopped-thinking-about-the-alamo-from-that-day-to-this-i-m-a/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [Boys, it is just like the Alamo. Somebody should have by God helped those Texans. I'm going to Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/boys-it-is-just-like-the-alamo-somebody-should-have-by-god-helped/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Texas is dicktown. No basement in the alamo. I didnt capitalize that on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/texas-is-dicktown-no-basement-in-the-alamo-i-didnt-capitalize-that-on/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [I found this really fantastic used record store in Japan, and I bought all these different records and different 45s, and one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-found-this-really-fantastic-used-record-store-in-japan-and-i-bought/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [“Alamo has been a strong inspiration for nations striving for freedom all around the globe since 1836. Gvozdansko has not earned public reputation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinko-vrbanic/alamo-has-been-a-strong-inspiration-for-nations-striving-for-freedom/) [Vinko Vrbanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinko-vrbanic/) > [Originally, I thought the story of the Alamo was all these men defending their liberty when they could have left, knowing they were going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/originally-i-thought-the-story-of-the-alamo-was-all-these-men/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [The author with the greatest influence on me is my friend Stephen Harrigan, who critiques everything I write before I even bother to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-author-with-the-greatest-influence-on-me-is-my-friend-stephen/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [“Regarding incident at Reiden Lake,” Walter read out loud, pausing to exchange a significant glance with Bell. “Meet me at the northwest corner of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/regarding-incident-at-reiden-lake-walter-read-out-loud-pausing-to/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his honour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-b-travis/i-am-determined-to-sustain-myself-as-long-as-possible-and-die-like-a/) [William B. Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-b-travis/) > [Just like the Alamo, somebody damn well needed to go to their aid. Well, by God, I'm going to Viet Nam's aid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/just-like-the-alamo-somebody-damn-well-needed-to-go-to-their-aid-well/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) [Browse all 48 Alamo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alamo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. 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