--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't take much of a rule to measure…" description: "\"It doesn't take much of a rule to measure a mean man.\" — Malcolm Forbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg" --- # It doesn't take much of a rule to measure a mean man. ![“It doesn't take much of a rule to measure a mean man.” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg) > “It doesn't take much of a rule to measure a mean man.” [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims that a single rule can reveal a person's character. **In simple terms:** One rule shows a man's true nature. Key Takeaway Observe behavior under minimal constraints. Themes ethics character leadership Mood analytical inquisitive Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - team management - personal relationships - legal judgments Key Concepts moral philosophy behavioral analysis Questions to Reflect On - What rule best reveals character? - How do circumstances affect moral judgments? A Different Perspective People may act differently in varied contexts, limiting this view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Where has the Scripture made merit the rule or measure of charity?.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-law/where-has-the-scripture-made-merit-the-rule-or-measure-of-charity/) [William Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-law/) > [A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself, and a mean man, by one lower than himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-noble-man-compares-and-estimates-himself-by-an-idea-which-is-higher/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [It liberates the vandal to travel-you never saw a bigoted, opinionated, stubborn, narrow-minded, self-conceited, almighty mean man in your life but he had stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-liberates-the-vandal-to-travel-you-never-saw-a-bigoted-opinionated/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-satisfied-and-composed-the-mean-man-is-always/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The word "artist" means man unless qualified by the category "woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-chadwick/the-word-artist-means-man-unless-qualified-by-the-category-woman/) Whitney Chadwick > [Women still get angry at me. I mean, men go after me sometimes, but most of the bad responses come from women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-crispin/women-still-get-angry-at-me-i-mean-men-go-after-me-sometimes-but-most/) [Jessa Crispin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-crispin/) > [He's a mean, mean man, but I love him all I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-jackson/he-s-a-mean-mean-man-but-i-love-him-all-i-can/) [Wanda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-jackson/) > [If you talk you always end up with politics, it gets nowhere. I mean man it's strictly from the soft typewriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/if-you-talk-you-always-end-up-with-politics-it-gets-nowhere-i-mean/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The age is dull and mean. Men creep, Not walk; with blood too pale and tame To pay the debt they owe to shame;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/the-age-is-dull-and-mean-men-creep-not-walk-with-blood-too-pale-and/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [When we speak of power, we mean man's control over the minds and actions of other men. By political power we refer to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-speak-of-power-we-mean-man-s-control-over-the-minds-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have never, in all my various travels, seen but two sorts of people I mean men and women, who always have been, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/i-have-never-in-all-my-various-travels-seen-but-two-sorts-of-people-i/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [“...I didn't bring my peremptory tone to bear in regard to what you'd just said about the unnecessariness of sleep but only, only ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-didn-t-bring-my-peremptory-tone-to-bear-in-regard-to-what-you-d/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-has-a-dignified-ease-without-pride-the-mean-man-has/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I was struggling at Rookie Camp to be quite honest with you. Basically, it was a week of being locked down like in jail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bogut/i-was-struggling-at-rookie-camp-to-be-quite-honest-with-you-basically/) [Andrew Bogut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bogut/) > [Social prosperity means man happy, the citizen free, the nation great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/social-prosperity-means-man-happy-the-citizen-free-the-nation-great/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More by Malcolm Forbes > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-things-are-bad-we-take-comfort-in-the-thought-that-they-could/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The best vision is insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-best-vision-is-insight/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When you don't understand, it's sometimes easier to look like you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-you-don-t-understand-it-s-sometimes-easier-to-look-like-you-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-s-so-much-easier-to-suggest-solutions-when-you-don-t-know-too-much/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Security isn't securities. It's knowing that someone cares whether you are or cease to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/security-isn-t-securities-it-s-knowing-that-someone-cares-whether-you/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is unfortunate we can't buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-unfortunate-we-can-t-buy-many-business-executives-for-what-they/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from-sing-sing-prison-or-harvard/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Compliment others on the virtues they have; and they're not half as pleased as being complimented for the ones they don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/compliment-others-on-the-virtues-they-have-and-they-re-not-half-as/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [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/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't take much of a rule to measure a mean man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measure-a-mean-man/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measure-a-mean-man/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/malcolm-forbes-1510_anger_it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measur_927980.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doesn't take much of a rule to measure a mean man.” — Malcolm Forbes", "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": "Malcolm Forbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It doesn't take much of a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measure-a-mean-man/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-doesn-t-take-much-of-a-rule-to-measure-a-mean-man/#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 } } ] } ```