--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People did terrible things to each other…" description: "\"“People did terrible things to each other- and half the time they did it by accident.”\" — Josh Lanyon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png" --- # People did terrible things to each other- and half the… ![“People did terrible things to each other- and half the time they did it by accident.” quote by Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png) > ““People did terrible things to each other- and half the time they did it by accident.”” [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human cruelty often arises unintentionally, showing that accidents can cause severe harm. **In simple terms:** Accidents can cause terrible harm. Key Takeaway Be vigilant about unintended consequences. Themes human nature accidents morality Mood cautionary reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - risk assessment - team management Key Concepts unintended harm ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you reduce accidental harm? - What systems guard against unintended damage? A Different Perspective Not all accidents are preventable; some stem from systemic flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) [Terrible things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-things/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There are some things I cannot do as I did before the accident. 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I was very nervous because of the caliber of the cast - especially Dave Foley - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-think-i-failed-miserably-on-newsradio-i-was-very-nervous-because-of/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Donald Trump connected in ways with people no one else did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/donald-trump-connected-in-ways-with-people-no-one-else-did/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [“They would drift away like people did if there was nothing to tie them down or hold them steady.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-forster/they-would-drift-away-like-people-did-if-there-was-nothing-to-tie/) [Rebecca Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-forster/) > [Not everything people did could be in a correct, logical order, especially when they were alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/not-everything-people-did-could-be-in-a-correct-logical-order/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“I realized there were assumptions we made about people, and once we did, that was all we could see”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-realized-there-were-assumptions-we-made-about-people-and-once-we/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“Everyone knew the way to dance was like black people did and they all danced that way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-babitz/everyone-knew-the-way-to-dance-was-like-black-people-did-and-they-all/) [Eve Babitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-babitz/) > [The Nazis victimized some people for what they did, some for what they refused to do, some for what they were, and some for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-horton-conway/the-nazis-victimized-some-people-for-what-they-did-some-for-what-they/) John Horton Conway > [A lot of people got in at the wrong time. A lot of people did very well and some people said, "This is it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/a-lot-of-people-got-in-at-the-wrong-time-a-lot-of-people-did-very/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [“These were the world’s first people. Everything they did, every action and decision, was entirely new, without precedent. They had no larger society to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-wecker/these-were-the-world-s-first-people-everything-they-did-every-action/) [Helene Wecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-wecker/) > [I didn't get down on myself even when a lot of people did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-hood/i-didn-t-get-down-on-myself-even-when-a-lot-of-people-did/) [Rodney Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-hood/) > [If people did not love one another, I really don't see what use there would be in having any spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/if-people-did-not-love-one-another-i-really-don-t-see-what-use-there/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Prayer. That was what people did when there was nothing else left to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-flyte/prayer-that-was-what-people-did-when-there-was-nothing-else-left-to-do/) [Magnus Flyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-flyte/) ## More by Josh Lanyon > [“Emma sat up very straight in the saddle. Her eyes were huge, but she said bravely, “I could do it!” “I know you can.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/emma-sat-up-very-straight-in-the-saddle-her-eyes-were-huge-but-she/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“Max's scarred brow crinkled. He reached for the coffee mug on his desk. “Motive is tricky. See, what might be a good reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/max-s-scarred-brow-crinkled-he-reached-for-the-coffee-mug-on-his-desk/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“It was nearly five before Jake walked in. He was sunburnt, wet, and smelled faintly of fish. Sexy as hell. Don’t ask me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/it-was-nearly-five-before-jake-walked-in-he-was-sunburnt-wet-and/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“Law enforcement hardened you. It made you cynical about people. Even people you loved. The people who deserved your unconditional trust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/law-enforcement-hardened-you-it-made-you-cynical-about-people-even/) [josh lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [Drink your coffee -- people in Africa are sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/drink-your-coffee-people-in-africa-are-sleeping/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“So you're like a ... an amateur sleuth?" "God no. 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Yeah, that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/he-needed-fresh-air-and-sunshine-a-walk-in-the-woods-and-afterward-a/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [I love you," Jake whispered. "Are you strong enough for this?" I made myself comfortable. Said over my shoulder, "Sure." "Would you tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/i-love-you-jake-whispered-are-you-strong-enough-for-this-i-made/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [Kit, you're forty. You look thirty. You act...well, never mind. You're carrying on like you think you're seventy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/kit-you-re-forty-you-look-thirty-you-act-well-never-mind-you-re/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“That's one of the oldest tricks in the world, Adrien-with-an-e.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/that-s-one-of-the-oldest-tricks-in-the-world-adrien-with-an-e/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“You're Professor Mills? The new one who teaches history?" As opposed to the old Professor Mills who preached overthrow of the government?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/you-re-professor-mills-the-new-one-who-teaches-history-as-opposed-to/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [He never lied to me. I just didn't ask the questions I didn't want to know the answers to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/he-never-lied-to-me-i-just-didn-t-ask-the-questions-i-didn-t-want-to/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“If there was one thing I learned in the last twenty-four hours, it was how short life is – how long death – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/if-there-was-one-thing-i-learned-in-the-last-twenty-four-hours-it-was/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) [Explore all 203 Josh Lanyon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) ## More Accident quotes > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The spirit in the body is like wine in a glass; when it spills, it seeps into air and earth and light….It’s a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-spirit-in-the-body-is-like-wine-in-a-glass-when-it-spills-it/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/accident-ruled-every-corner-of-the-universe-except-the-chambers-of/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [However, I met with a horrible accident while riding my bike in Sangla Valley. The accident was a wakeup call for me stop getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/however-i-met-with-a-horrible-accident-while-riding-my-bike-in-sangla/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 922 Accident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People did terrible things to each other- and half the time they did it by accident.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Lanyon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other-and-half-the-time-they-did/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accident" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other-and-half-the-time-they-did/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/josh-lanyon-1827_accident_people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other_525909.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People did terrible things to each other- and half the time they did it by accident.” — Josh Lanyon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Josh Lanyon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People did terrible things to each...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other-and-half-the-time-they-did/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/people-did-terrible-things-to-each-other-and-half-the-time-they-did/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```