--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm concerned about a better world. I'm…" description: "\"I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about justice; I'm concerned about brotherhood; I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg" --- # I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about… ![“I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about justice; I'm concerned about brotherhood; I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder. Through violence you may…” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg) > “I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about justice; I'm concerned about brotherhood; I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate through violence. Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence cannot achieve justice or truth; only non‑violent love and truth can transform darkness into light. **In simple terms:** Violence fails to create justice or truth. Key Takeaway Choose non‑violence and truth. Themes justice truth non‑violence brotherhood light Mood determined hopeful serious Type philosophical inspirational activist When to use this quote - civil rights activism - conflict resolution - community building - personal integrity Key Concepts Moral philosophy ethical resistance social change Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice non‑violence in daily conflicts? - What does “light” represent in your life? A Different Perspective Non‑violence may be slower and face violent opposition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-world/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Concerned Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned-brotherhood-2752742/) [Concerned Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned-truth-729388/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Murderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murderer/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-concerned-2144945/) [Truth Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-violence-2433972/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-darkness-2433973/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'm concerned about justice. I'm concerned about brotherhood. I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about these, he can never advocate violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-m-concerned-about-justice-i-m-concerned-about-brotherhood-i-m/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-maull-mckinstry/for-through-violence-you-may-murder-a-murderer-but-you-can-t-murder/) [Carolyn Maull McKinstry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-maull-mckinstry/) > [Violence never really deals with the basic evil of the situation. Violence may murder the murderer, but it doesn’t murder murder. Violence may murder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/violence-never-really-deals-with-the-basic-evil-of-the-situation/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-ultimate-weakness-of-violence-is-that-it-is-a-descending-spiral-5/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Little minds try to solve the matters through violence and darkness; great minds try to solve the matters through love and light!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/little-minds-try-to-solve-the-matters-through-violence-and-darkness/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [People kill and are killed because they cling too tightly to their own beliefs and ideologies. When we believe that ours is the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/people-kill-and-are-killed-because-they-cling-too-tightly-to-their/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [ Whether every story that's there \[in the Bible\] is a historic truth ... Again, I'm not concerned. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/whether-every-story-that-s-there-in-the-bible-is-a-historic-truth/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [All men are our brothers. As far as the discovery of the truth is concerned, they are all working for the same purpose; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/all-men-are-our-brothers-as-far-as-the-discovery-of-the-truth-is/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [As far as the search for truth is concerned, 98% of our thinking is rubbish. The remaining 2% is garbage. Throw it all out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/as-far-as-the-search-for-truth-is-concerned-98-of-our-thinking-is/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [If our minds could get hold of one abstract truth, they would be immortal so far as that truth is concerned. My trouble is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/if-our-minds-could-get-hold-of-one-abstract-truth-they-would-be/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [A nationally known advertising man wrote me theother day ... to suggest that we tell the truth, i.e., that we are not concerned with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-nationally-known-advertising-man-wrote-me-theother-day-to-suggest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My films are as much concerned with truth as anything in vérité. Maybe more so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/my-films-are-as-much-concerned-with-truth-as-anything-in-v-rit-maybe/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [“He was a man more concerned with the truth than his arrest quota, a philosophy that would often have him skate on thin ice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-crown/he-was-a-man-more-concerned-with-the-truth-than-his-arrest-quota-a/) [Bruce Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-crown/) > [If art, all art, is concerned with truth, then a society in denial will not find much use for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/if-art-all-art-is-concerned-with-truth-then-a-society-in-denial-will/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I had to learn early on that where conservatives are concerned, the truth about them is the last thing anybody wants to report. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-had-to-learn-early-on-that-where-conservatives-are-concerned-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Better world quotes > [Something must be done to save humanity! A better world is possible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/something-must-be-done-to-save-humanity-a-better-world-is-possible/) [Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/) > [One Hundred Year Starship really is about the idea that is we pursue an extraordinary tomorrow; we'll build a better world today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/one-hundred-year-starship-really-is-about-the-idea-that-is-we-pursue/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [The advance of liberty is the path to both a safer and better world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-advance-of-liberty-is-the-path-to-both-a-safer-and-better-world/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [... man has an idea of a better world than this. But better does not mean different, it means unified... Religion or crime, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/man-has-an-idea-of-a-better-world-than-this-but-better-does-not-mean/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Joseph Ratzinger never developed his own theological system. As a theologian he took on what was there, discerned its essentials, situated it in relation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/joseph-ratzinger-never-developed-his-own-theological-system-as-a/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [How can I create a better world? The more you reflect, the more your life will move into the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/how-can-i-create-a-better-world-the-more-you-reflect-the-more-your/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weigel/this-would-be-a-vastly-better-world-to-live-in-if-matt-drudge-decided/) [David Weigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weigel/) > [“Up there, comrades," he would say solemnly, pointing to the sky with his large beak– "up there, just on the other side of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/up-there-comrades-he-would-say-solemnly-pointing-to-the-sky-with-his/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“When I heard Zizek’s statement, I have to admit that I reacted strongly against it. For the first twenty-five years of my adult life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaddhaka-linn/when-i-heard-zizek-s-statement-i-have-to-admit-that-i-reacted/) [Vaddhaka Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaddhaka-linn/) > [A better world could be brought about only by better individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/a-better-world-could-be-brought-about-only-by-better-individuals/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The arts can open the door to the imagination, pushing the envelope of how peace can be created. It takes courage to take this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-shorter/the-arts-can-open-the-door-to-the-imagination-pushing-the-envelope-of/) [Wayne Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-shorter/) > [Socialcam shares Autodesk's mission of helping everybody imagine, design, and create a better world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/socialcam-shares-autodesk-s-mission-of-helping-everybody-imagine/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) > [“We don't have a lot of choice about the world we live in. But we do have choices about our world-view. ... We read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-wade-johnson/we-don-t-have-a-lot-of-choice-about-the-world-we-live-in-but-we-do/) [Kevin Wade Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-wade-johnson/) > [I believe there is another world waiting for us. A better world. And I'll be waiting for you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/i-believe-there-is-another-world-waiting-for-us-a-better-world-and-i/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Can we make a better world for our children? I believe we can, if enough people are concerned and get involved in changing what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/can-we-make-a-better-world-for-our-children-i-believe-we-can-if/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) [Browse all 606 Better world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about justice; I'm concerned about brotherhood; I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate through violence. Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-concerned-about-justice-i-m/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better world" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-concerned-about-justice-i-m/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/martin-luther-king-jr-127_better-world_i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-c_721463.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about justice; I'm concerned about brotherhood; I'm…” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm concerned about a better world....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-concerned-about-justice-i-m/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-m-concerned-about-a-better-world-i-m-concerned-about-justice-i-m/#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 } } ] } ```