--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just as the worst slave-owners were those…" description: "\"Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realized by those who suffered..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg" --- # Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to… ![“Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realized by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg) > “Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realized by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people who try to do most good.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good intentions can mask harmful outcomes; critical scrutiny of altruism is essential. **In simple terms:** Good deeds can have hidden harms. Key Takeaway Question motives. Themes ethics social critique human nature Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy making - charitable work - leadership Key Concepts philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate the impact of good deeds? - When should altruism be questioned? A Different Perspective Good intentions can also produce positive change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-real/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-slaves-2426231/) [Owners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owners/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-harm-1160799/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slave owners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave-owners/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves/) [Slaves Prevented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves-prevented-4001680/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) ## Related quotes > [The worst slave owners were those who were kind to their slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-slave-owners-were-those-who-were-kind-to-their-slaves/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [With the Lincoln assassination, the South didn't feel it could mourn along with the North. But Garfield was beloved by all the American people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-millard/with-the-lincoln-assassination-the-south-didn-t-feel-it-could-mourn/) [Candice Millard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-millard/) > [Every human on the planet is descended from both slaves and slave owners. What makes Britain unusual is not that we engaged in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-hannan/every-human-on-the-planet-is-descended-from-both-slaves-and-slave/) [Daniel Hannan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-hannan/) > [This country was founded by a group of slave owners who told us that all men are created equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/this-country-was-founded-by-a-group-of-slave-owners-who-told-us-that/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [We live in an age of apologies. Apologies, fake or true, are expected from the descendants of empire builders, slave owners and persecutors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-guinness/we-live-in-an-age-of-apologies-apologies-fake-or-true-are-expected/) [Alec Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-guinness/) > [The Bible is a radically pro-slavery document. Slave owners waved Bibles over their heads in the Civil War and justified it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-a-radically-pro-slavery-document-slave-owners-waved/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, skimmed over. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/one-is-astonished-in-the-study-of-history-at-the-recurrence-of-the/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [My favorite quote is Thomas Jefferson's "The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time." Well, he was a slave-owner.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/my-favorite-quote-is-thomas-jefferson-s-the-god-who-gave-us-life-gave/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I can't say with certainty that slavery would have ended more quickly and more completely if the South had been allowed to leave and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-swanson/i-can-t-say-with-certainty-that-slavery-would-have-ended-more-quickly/) [David Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-swanson/) > [Since we were renamed, and now it feels like 80 percent of the African-American population has the name Washington or Jefferson or some president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/since-we-were-renamed-and-now-it-feels-like-80-percent-of-the-african/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [All of us in the Ball family in South Carolina, from the time we're children, hear stories about our ancestors, the slave owners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ball/all-of-us-in-the-ball-family-in-south-carolina-from-the-time-we-re/) [Edward Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ball/) > [I try so hard to be tolerant of everyone and their choices, but people who harm pets or support factory farming have an enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-pascoe/i-try-so-hard-to-be-tolerant-of-everyone-and-their-choices-but-people/) [Sara Pascoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-pascoe/) > [No people do so much harm as those who go about doing good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandell-creighton/no-people-do-so-much-harm-as-those-who-go-about-doing-good/) [Mandell Creighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandell-creighton/) > [There are many times when I have to remind myself that people who harm others are coming from a place of profound disconnection. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/there-are-many-times-when-i-have-to-remind-myself-that-people-who/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [I became paranoid for a long time: I thought that people were out to harm me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-lekman/i-became-paranoid-for-a-long-time-i-thought-that-people-were-out-to/) [Jens Lekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-lekman/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Being real quotes > [Don't be in such a hurry to condemn a person because she doesn't do what you do, or think as you think or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcom-x/don-t-be-in-such-a-hurry-to-condemn-a-person-because-she-doesn-t-do/) [Malcom X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcom-x/) > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Going through unknown people's profiles and judging them by their pictures is totally normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pradeep-chandra/going-through-unknown-people-s-profiles-and-judging-them-by-their/) [Pradeep Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pradeep-chandra/) > [When you are important to another person, they will always find a way to make time for you - no excuses, no lies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-important-to-another-person-they-will-always-find-a-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you speak the truth watch the fuck niggas start hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-speak-the-truth-watch-the-fuck-niggas-start-hating/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think about everyone in my life that was harsh with me or who gave me tough love and told me things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-think-about-everyone-in-my-life-that-was-harsh-with-me-or-who-gave/) [Charlamagne Tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [Laugh at every mistakes and realize that no one is perfect. We are human. All of us are imperfect, so there's no point judging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laugh-at-every-mistakes-and-realize-that-no-one-is-perfect-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give yourself a chance to live because nobody will live it for you when you die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-yourself-a-chance-to-live-because-nobody-will-live-it-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You've noticed a change huh ? She doesn't text you as often . She never calls you anymore . When she does text you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delaney-ridnour/you-ve-noticed-a-change-huh-she-doesn-t-text-you-as-often-she-never/) [Delaney Ridnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delaney-ridnour/) > [I wish that one day you would finally realize that the person that is willing to love you forever is the person you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khat-leen/i-wish-that-one-day-you-would-finally-realize-that-the-person-that-is/) [Khat Leen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khat-leen/) > [..If you love her/him then why give up, nobody said love was easy and nobody said love was hard... a relationship is what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-bostic/if-you-love-her-him-then-why-give-up-nobody-said-love-was-easy-and/) [TEVIN BOSTIC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-bostic/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Im loving you not because you're giving me what I need, Instead I'm loving you because you're giving me this feeling I never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/im-loving-you-not-because-you-re-giving-me-what-i-need-instead-i-m/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Be who you want to be, not what people want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-who-you-want-to-be-not-what-people-want-to-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There should be in eloquence that which is pleasing and that which is real; but that which is pleasing should itself be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-should-be-in-eloquence-that-which-is-pleasing-and-that-which-is/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Browse all 1,607 Being real quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-real/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realized by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people who try to do most good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-those-who-were-kind-to-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being real" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-those-who-were-kind-to-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/oscar-wilde-16_being-real_just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-thos_1259971.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the…” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Just as the worst slave-owners were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-those-who-were-kind-to-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/just-as-the-worst-slave-owners-were-those-who-were-kind-to-their/#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 } } ] } ```