--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For how we live is so far removed from…" description: "\"“For how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/niccolo-machiavelli-368_quote_for-how-we-live-is-so-far-removed-from-h_329909.jpg" --- # For how we live is so far removed from how we ought to… ![“For how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation. A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so…” quote by Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/niccolo-machiavelli-368_quote_for-how-we-live-is-so-far-removed-from-h_329909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/niccolo-machiavelli-368_quote_for-how-we-live-is-so-far-removed-from-h_329909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/niccolo-machiavelli-368_quote_for-how-we-live-is-so-far-removed-from-h_329909.jpg) > ““For how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation. A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good. Therefore it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge and not use it, according to the necessity of the case”” [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political power often forces leaders to act contrary to moral ideals, risking personal ruin when they try to be wholly good. **In simple terms:** Leaders may must be immoral to survive. Key Takeaway Balance ethics with pragmatic survival. Themes politics ethics leadership Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - court intrigue - statecraft - personal ambition - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts Machiavellianism realpolitik moral compromise Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to lead ethically without compromising safety? - When does pragmatism become corruption? A Different Perspective Pure virtue can be self‑destructive in hostile environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“It is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-necessary-for-a-prince-wishing-to-hold-his-own-to-know-how-to/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/many-have-imagined-republics-and-principalities-which-have-never-been-2/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“But since my intention is to write something useful for anyone who understands it, it seemed more suitable for me to search after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/but-since-my-intention-is-to-write-something-useful-for-anyone-who/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“It is necessary’, he writes, for a prince to learn ‘how not to be good’ (Ch. 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He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Chrisitan fellowship. \[excerpt from Act II,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/beneatha-younger-he-said-everybody-ought-to-learn-how-to-sit-down-and/) [Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/) ## More by Niccolò Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; 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For men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-necessary-that-the-prince-should-know-how-to-color-his-nature/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“It is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-necessary-for-a-prince-wishing-to-hold-his-own-to-know-how-to/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) Browse all 5 Necessary Prince quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation. A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good. 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