--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is all one to me if a man comes from…" description: "\"It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.\" — Malcolm Forbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/malcolm-forbes-1510_harvard_it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from_122031.jpg" --- # It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison… ![“It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/malcolm-forbes-1510_harvard_it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from_122031.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/malcolm-forbes-1510_harvard_it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from_122031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/malcolm-forbes-1510_harvard_it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from_122031.jpg) > “It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.” [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. Hiring decisions should focus on a person's abilities and character rather than their past institutions or criminal record. **In simple terms:** Hire for skill, not background. Key Takeaway Talent outweighs history. Themes employment fairness meritocracy rehabilitation Mood pragmatic assertive Type business ethical When to use this quote - a startup evaluating candidates without college degrees - a nonprofit hiring formerly incarcerated individuals Key Concepts bias reduction social reintegration Practical Applications - implement blind recruitment processes Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations balance fairness with risk management? - What safeguards help assess character beyond credentials? A Different Perspective Ignoring background can risk safety or cultural fit in certain roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) ## Related quotes > [“I want to go to Sing Sing prison. I’ll bet they’ve got a good chorus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-go-to-sing-sing-prison-i-ll-bet-they-ve-got-a-good-chorus/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“He was like a man who had served a term in prison or had been to Harvard College or had left for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/he-was-like-a-man-who-had-served-a-term-in-prison-or-had-been-to/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“He was like a man who had served a term in prison or had been to Harvard College or had lived for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/he-was-like-a-man-who-had-served-a-term-in-prison-or-had-been-to-2/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [It costs the same to send a person to prison or to Harvard. The difference is the curriculum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/it-costs-the-same-to-send-a-person-to-prison-or-to-harvard-the/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [I would rather hire a man with enthusiasm, than a man who knows everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-would-rather-hire-a-man-with-enthusiasm-than-a-man-who-knows/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/do-not-hire-a-man-who-does-your-work-for-money-but-him-who-does-it/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Son, a man’d brand Is his own special mark That says this is mine, leave it alone. You hire out to a man, Ride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-steagall/son-a-man-d-brand-is-his-own-special-mark-that-says-this-is-mine/) Red Steagall > [“I believe that if you hire a man to do a job, you ought to get out of the way and let him do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/i-believe-that-if-you-hire-a-man-to-do-a-job-you-ought-to-get-out-of/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [If an employer had to pay a man one dollar for the same work a woman could do for 59 cents, why would anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/if-an-employer-had-to-pay-a-man-one-dollar-for-the-same-work-a-woman/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [You may raise enough money to tunnel a mountain, but you cannot raise money enough to hire a man who is minding his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-may-raise-enough-money-to-tunnel-a-mountain-but-you-cannot-raise/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [On the day when man told the story of his life to man, history was born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/on-the-day-when-man-told-the-story-of-his-life-to-man-history-was-born/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astonishing results are the three criteria of a human genius, who could dare compare any great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-de-lamartine/if-greatness-of-purpose-smallness-of-means-and-astonishing-results/) [Alphonse de Lamartine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-de-lamartine/) > [How could you be a Great Man if history brought you no Great Events, or brought you to them at the wrong time, too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/how-could-you-be-a-great-man-if-history-brought-you-no-great-events/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [The art of beautiful motion is far and away the oldest. Before man learned how to use any instruments at all, he moved the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-van-der-leeuw/the-art-of-beautiful-motion-is-far-and-away-the-oldest-before-man/) [Gerard van der Leeuw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-van-der-leeuw/) > [“No man in the history of ever has turned down a blowjob,” he gritted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lane/no-man-in-the-history-of-ever-has-turned-down-a-blowjob-he-gritted/) [Amy Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lane/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [Any marriage that survives a big wedding can probably survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/any-marriage-that-survives-a-big-wedding-can-probably-survive/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Harvard quotes > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Today, at Harvard, any student with the currently fashionable color of skin is given rights denied to students of the currently unfashionable color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capp/today-at-harvard-any-student-with-the-currently-fashionable-color-of/) [Al Capp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capp/) > [While living in America when I attended Harvard in the early 1970s, I saw for myself the awesome, almost miraculous, power of a people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/while-living-in-america-when-i-attended-harvard-in-the-early-1970s-i/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [It's important to make clear to all the schools at Harvard the central role of the library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-darnton/it-s-important-to-make-clear-to-all-the-schools-at-harvard-the/) [Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-darnton/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [When one considers our nation's educational foundations - Harvard, Yale, Princeton and most of our respected institutions were originally Christian - it becomes evident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-falwell/when-one-considers-our-nation-s-educational-foundations-harvard-yale/) [Jonathan Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-falwell/) > [My undergraduate studies at Brown and graduate degrees from Harvard prepared me for a multifaceted career as an actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hill-harper/my-undergraduate-studies-at-brown-and-graduate-degrees-from-harvard/) [Hill Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hill-harper/) > [“Holy freaking moly! Harvard really was well endowed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-m-silber/holy-freaking-moly-harvard-really-was-well-endowed/) [N.M. Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-m-silber/) > [I don't believe I'll ever get credit for anything I do in foreign affairs, no matter how successful it is, because I didn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-don-t-believe-i-ll-ever-get-credit-for-anything-i-do-in-foreign/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [In 2002, Google began an ambitious project to digitize every book in the world. It was intended as a search project: type in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-darnton/in-2002-google-began-an-ambitious-project-to-digitize-every-book-in/) [Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-darnton/) > [“At Harvard I learned most uncomfortably that facts are facts. In Italy I learned that facts are the way you look at them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-faolain-2/at-harvard-i-learned-most-uncomfortably-that-facts-are-facts-in-italy/) [Sean O'Faolain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-faolain-2/) > [ It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic \[totally silent\] chamber not expecting in that silent room… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years-ago-that-i-went-into-an/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [When I left Harvard Pilgrim, it had been ranked first in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for customer satisfaction for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-baker/when-i-left-harvard-pilgrim-it-had-been-ranked-first-in-the-nation-by/) [Charlie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-baker/) Browse all 627 Harvard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. 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