--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst thing of all is standing by…" description: "\"The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing something wrong.\" — Kirby Larson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png" --- # The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing… ![“The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing something wrong.” quote by Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png) > “The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing something wrong.” [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Passivity in the face of wrongdoing is the worst moral failure; action is required. **In simple terms:** Standing by while wrong occurs is the worst sin. Key Takeaway Act against injustice promptly. Themes ethics activism responsibility Mood urgent ethical Type motivational practical When to use this quote - workplace misconduct - public policy - personal ethics Key Concepts moral duty by‑stander effect social justice Questions to Reflect On - When have you witnessed harmful inaction? - How can you intervene safely? A Different Perspective Inaction can be as harmful as the wrongdoing itself. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-wrong/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Standing Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-folks-3307755/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) ## Related quotes > [Because he KNEW he was doing wrong. He felt the PAIN of his actions'-- 'But he did not amen them,' shows the Sky. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-he-knew-he-was-doing-wrong-he-felt-the-pain-of-his-actions/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Every interview is as much an impression of the journalist as it is the artist or subject. You look at interviews and you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-hegarty/every-interview-is-as-much-an-impression-of-the-journalist-as-it-is/) [Antony Hegarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-hegarty/) > [I always think about the simplest things in a relationship that have frustrated me. It always sort of comes down to communication. Even something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/i-always-think-about-the-simplest-things-in-a-relationship-that-have/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [When you get old the worst thing is you lose so many friends. Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne. People who I loved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-you-get-old-the-worst-thing-is-you-lose-so-many-friends-burt/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [The worst thing that happens to people when they dress up and go to a party is that they leave their real selves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/the-worst-thing-that-happens-to-people-when-they-dress-up-and-go-to-a/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [The worst thing in life is to see the one you love, love someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-starks/the-worst-thing-in-life-is-to-see-the-one-you-love-love-someone-else/) [Darius Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-starks/) > [Make love to me like you know I am better than the worst thing I ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/make-love-to-me-like-you-know-i-am-better-than-the-worst-thing-i-ever/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is, 'Oh, I'm on stage playing a song,' because you're daydreaming about something else, you're on autopilot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/sometimes-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-is-oh-i-m-on-stage-playing/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [The worst thing is when people criticise you and you go, 'Yeah, you're right.' It's really hard to take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckley/the-worst-thing-is-when-people-criticise-you-and-you-go-yeah-you-re/) [James Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckley/) > [Worst thing in the world? John is completely out of it. Good luck, ladies. He's a freak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/worst-thing-in-the-world-john-is-completely-out-of-it-good-luck/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The worst thing about movie-making is that it's like life: nobody can go back to correct the mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/the-worst-thing-about-movie-making-is-that-it-s-like-life-nobody-can/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [The worst thing for me is to not taste what I'm eating, to not know what I'm eating. It upsets me to no avail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-robuchon/the-worst-thing-for-me-is-to-not-taste-what-i-m-eating-to-not-know/) [Joel Robuchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-robuchon/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) ## More by Kirby Larson > [I think if you find your passion and you go with it you are rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/i-think-if-you-find-your-passion-and-you-go-with-it-you-are-rewarded/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [Hon, when someone's a true friend, there's no need to miss 'em." She patted her chest. "'Cause they're always right here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/hon-when-someone-s-a-true-friend-there-s-no-need-to-miss-em-she/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [“My mama always said piecing quilts is like making friends.' She kept her eyes on the scissors as she cut up a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/my-mama-always-said-piecing-quilts-is-like-making-friends-she-kept/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [The year has held its ups and downs for me; I'm sure it has for you, too. I'm counting on the year ending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-year-has-held-its-ups-and-downs-for-me-i-m-sure-it-has-for-you/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [Why couldn't I be more like other girls my age? Take Mrs. Brown's niece. She spent every waking hour sizing up this beau or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/why-couldn-t-i-be-more-like-other-girls-my-age-take-mrs-brown-s-niece/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [There is nothing like the occasional outburst of profanity to calm jangled nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/there-is-nothing-like-the-occasional-outburst-of-profanity-to-calm/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [“The war was in Europe, not here. Why all this fuss about where someone was born? Wasn't it where he lived - rather, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-war-was-in-europe-not-here-why-all-this-fuss-about-where-someone/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [Remember picture books are the closest form of writing to a poem. Even though they don't have to rhyme, they must be poetic. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/remember-picture-books-are-the-closest-form-of-writing-to-a-poem-even/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [There should be fireworks at last, when a dream dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/there-should-be-fireworks-at-last-when-a-dream-dies/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [I am the richest person alive (or at least one of!) because I get to do what I love as a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/i-am-the-richest-person-alive-or-at-least-one-of-because-i-get-to-do/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [“History has a way of repeating itself, but it's up to us to break the cycle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/history-has-a-way-of-repeating-itself-but-it-s-up-to-us-to-break-the/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [The wren and the nightingale sound nothing alike, but think how dull the world would be without the songs of both birds.-Miss Kanagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-wren-and-the-nightingale-sound-nothing-alike-but-think-how-dull/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [It seems the misfortune of one can plow a deeper furrow in the heart than the misfortune of millions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/it-seems-the-misfortune-of-one-can-plow-a-deeper-furrow-in-the-heart/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [Hattie.' Grace patted my arm. 'My cows sing better than you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/hattie-grace-patted-my-arm-my-cows-sing-better-than-you-do/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) > [Why did I keep hitching myself to dreams as big as that Montana sky? I was like Rooster Jim's chickens, with no way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/why-did-i-keep-hitching-myself-to-dreams-as-big-as-that-montana-sky-i/) [Kirby Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) [Explore all 43 Kirby Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/) ## More Folks quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [Sometimes you have to stop telling folks about themselves and leave it up to them to figure out where they went wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-lobbins/sometimes-you-have-to-stop-telling-folks-about-themselves-and-leave/) [Danielle Lobbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-lobbins/) > [The Urban Literate Southern California Sub-Group of the Early Atomic Period has not yet produced a distinct body of folk music of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hinton/the-urban-literate-southern-california-sub-group-of-the-early-atomic/) [Sam Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hinton/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I want folks to take horror seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/i-want-folks-to-take-horror-seriously/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) [Browse all 2,417 Folks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing something wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kirby Larson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-when-folks-are-doing-something/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Folks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-when-folks-are-doing-something/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/kirby-larson-15140_folks_the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-wh_2780605.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing something wrong.” — Kirby Larson", "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": "Kirby Larson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-larson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The worst thing of all is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-when-folks-are-doing-something/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-larson/the-worst-thing-of-all-is-standing-by-when-folks-are-doing-something/#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 } } ] } ```