--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a general thing anyone who is not your…" description: "\"“As a general thing anyone who is not your friend will advise neutrality while anyone who is your friend will ask you to join him, weapon in hand.”\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg" --- # As a general thing anyone who is not your friend will… ![“As a general thing anyone who is not your friend will advise neutrality while anyone who is your friend will ask you to join him, weapon in hand.” quote by Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg) > ““As a general thing anyone who is not your friend will advise neutrality while anyone who is your friend will ask you to join him, weapon in hand.”” [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Allies will push you toward conflict, while neutral parties will advise staying impartial. **In simple terms:** Friends push you to fight; neutrals advise peace. Key Takeaway Beware of hidden agendas in alliances. Themes politics trust conflict strategy friendship Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - diplomacy - business negotiations - team building - political campaigns Key Concepts power dynamics loyalty manipulation neutrality Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of aligning with a friend in conflict? - How can you assess true intentions? A Different Perspective Neutral parties may have hidden motives or lack commitment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Neutrality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neutrality/) ## Related quotes > [And it will always happen that he who is not your friend will request your neutrality and he who is your friend will ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/and-it-will-always-happen-that-he-who-is-not-your-friend-will-request/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A true friend doesn't point out how bad you're doing when its obvious. A true friend advise you on how to get back up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-doesn-t-point-out-how-bad-you-re-doing-when-its-obvious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Thus it will always happen that he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/thus-it-will-always-happen-that-he-who-is-not-your-friend-will-demand/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) > [Charter hired me - which, to be honest, took some humility on its part, since I have helped lead public campaigns against cable companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/charter-hired-me-which-to-be-honest-took-some-humility-on-its-part/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [The current FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler, is highly regarded, but some distrust him because he is the former head lobbyist of both the cable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/the-current-fcc-chairman-tom-wheeler-is-highly-regarded-but-some/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [Net neutrality isn't a government takeover of the Internet, as many of my Republican colleagues have alleged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/net-neutrality-isn-t-a-government-takeover-of-the-internet-as-many-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Power doesn't corrupt. It's neutral. Someone always wants to corrupt power. It's the way a shotgun is not a deadly weapon until someone chooses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ditko/power-doesn-t-corrupt-it-s-neutral-someone-always-wants-to-corrupt/) Steve Ditko > [Our impartiality is kept for abstract merit and demerit, which none of us ever saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/our-impartiality-is-kept-for-abstract-merit-and-demerit-which-none-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [My standpoint is armed neutrality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/my-standpoint-is-armed-neutrality/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [To go back to a 1950s voice mentality with Title II and net neutrality would be a tremendous mistake for our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/to-go-back-to-a-1950s-voice-mentality-with-title-ii-and-net/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [Net neutrality is at the core of what we love about the Internet. Put simply, it allows any individual or business equal access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/net-neutrality-is-at-the-core-of-what-we-love-about-the-internet-put/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) > [If you end internet neutrality and permit mergers of the big information technology corporations, that's a form of rent seeking. It's part of today's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/if-you-end-internet-neutrality-and-permit-mergers-of-the-big/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [There's always a fine line that divides hostility from neutrality, and I don't want to pass that line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-dwight/there-s-always-a-fine-line-that-divides-hostility-from-neutrality-and/) [Ed Dwight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-dwight/) > [I believe people ought to be treated fairly under the law. I see no reason why if the marriage contract conveys certain things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-believe-people-ought-to-be-treated-fairly-under-the-law-i-see-no/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [“You can not have empty or neutral mind, as long as you work the mind will contain dreams, if you stop working it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-can-not-have-empty-or-neutral-mind-as-long-as-you-work-the-mind/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Nicolo Machiavelli > [“He who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/he-who-is-highly-esteemed-is-not-easily-conspired-against/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) > [“...never in peaceful times stand idle..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/never-in-peaceful-times-stand-idle/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) > [“CHAPTER VI Concerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired By One's Own Arms And Ability LET no one be surprised if, in speaking of entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/chapter-vi-concerning-new-principalities-which-are-acquired-by-one-s/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) > [“...against my will, my fate, A throne unsettled, and an infant state, Bid me defend my realms with all my pow'rs, And guard with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/against-my-will-my-fate-a-throne-unsettled-and-an-infant-state-bid-me/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) > [“There is no other way of guarding against adulation, than to make people understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/there-is-no-other-way-of-guarding-against-adulation-than-to-make/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) > [“Thus it will always happen that he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/thus-it-will-always-happen-that-he-who-is-not-your-friend-will-demand/) [Nicolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 7 Nicolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) KushSoulja > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As a general thing anyone who is not your friend will advise neutrality while anyone who is your friend will ask you to join him, weapon in hand.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-your-friend-will-advise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-your-friend-will-advise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/nicolo-machiavelli-49849_friendship_as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-you_1298271.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a general thing anyone who is not your friend will advise neutrality while anyone who is your friend will…” — Nicolo Machiavelli", "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": "Nicolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As a general thing anyone who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-your-friend-will-advise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolo-machiavelli/as-a-general-thing-anyone-who-is-not-your-friend-will-advise/#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 } } ] } ```