--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You might argue on utilitarian grounds…" description: "\"You might argue on utilitarian grounds that the best way for the world to work is for everybody to take care of themselves first. And people have made ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg" --- # You might argue on utilitarian grounds that the best way… ![“You might argue on utilitarian grounds that the best way for the world to work is for everybody to take care of themselves first. And people have made that argument. But I just think we would be so much better off if we could care for distant others even a little bit more.” quote by Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg) > “You might argue on utilitarian grounds that the best way for the world to work is for everybody to take care of themselves first. And people have made that argument. But I just think we would be so much better off if we could care for distant others even a little bit more.” [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. While self‑care is important, extending compassion to distant others improves collective well‑being. **In simple terms:** Care for others benefits all. Key Takeaway Practice small acts of distant kindness. Themes altruism community ethics Mood inspirational empathetic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - charitable giving - global activism - online support groups Key Concepts moral philosophy social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate caring for others into daily life? - What limits do you face in helping distant strangers? A Different Perspective Balancing self‑care with altruism can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argue Utilitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argue-utilitarian-3575222/) [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Better Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-care-587350/) [Better off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-off/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Everybody Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-care-532298/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Take care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-care/) [Think Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-better/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Utilitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utilitarian/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Work Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-everybody-233423/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [My colleagues and I fought to increase the resources to address several things, like maternity, prenatal, and newborn care, and mental health and substance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-mcsally/my-colleagues-and-i-fought-to-increase-the-resources-to-address/) [Martha McSally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-mcsally/) > [Everybody should care about facts. That is something all of us should agree on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/everybody-should-care-about-facts-that-is-something-all-of-us-should/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [The trouble is that as women we try to take care of everybody else before we take care of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/the-trouble-is-that-as-women-we-try-to-take-care-of-everybody-else/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [I don't really care what others think of me. You're not going to please everybody. I care what I think and what my children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-vanderpump/i-don-t-really-care-what-others-think-of-me-you-re-not-going-to/) [Lisa Vanderpump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-vanderpump/) > [I went camping for 33 days, and now everybody seems to care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-haskell/i-went-camping-for-33-days-and-now-everybody-seems-to-care/) [Colleen Haskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-haskell/) > [You don't have to work with everybody and be on songs with everybody just to make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-the-kid/you-don-t-have-to-work-with-everybody-and-be-on-songs-with-everybody/) [Rich the Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-the-kid/) > [We will work with everybody for the good of New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/we-will-work-with-everybody-for-the-good-of-new-york/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [“Hell, there're already too many psychologists; too many everythings. Too many engineers, too many chemists, too many doctors, too many dentists, too many sociologists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wharton/hell-there-re-already-too-many-psychologists-too-many-everythings-too/) [William Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wharton/) > [I mean, I'd like to work with everybody but my dream, as far as a producer would be Timbaland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snow-tha-product/i-mean-i-d-like-to-work-with-everybody-but-my-dream-as-far-as-a/) [Snow Tha Product](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snow-tha-product/) > [My administration is going to work with everybody in the African-American community in the inner cities, and what a big difference that is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-administration-is-going-to-work-with-everybody-in-the-african/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The only way things work around here is if everybody wants it to work. If everybody wants it to work, then it has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/the-only-way-things-work-around-here-is-if-everybody-wants-it-to-work/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [You can always work around this, that or the other, but if everybody's in there because they love it and they just want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/you-can-always-work-around-this-that-or-the-other-but-if-everybody-s/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [My answer to a lot of things is to go to work. That's not everybody's answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-tierney/my-answer-to-a-lot-of-things-is-to-go-to-work-that-s-not-everybody-s/) [Maura Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-tierney/) > [A director on a film really sets the tone of how people go about things, so everybody is happy to be at work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/a-director-on-a-film-really-sets-the-tone-of-how-people-go-about/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Everybody was being decent, and when people are decent, thing work out for everybody. That has been my theory all through life. If you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-cerf/everybody-was-being-decent-and-when-people-are-decent-thing-work-out/) [Bennett Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-cerf/) ## More by Paul Bloom > [I have two teenage sons, and they're both surviving, thriving, and having a great time, and they're always on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-have-two-teenage-sons-and-they-re-both-surviving-thriving-and/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Families survive the terrible twos because toddlers aren't strong enough to kill with their hands and aren't capable of using lethal weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/families-survive-the-terrible-twos-because-toddlers-aren-t-strong/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [If Inigo Montoya were around now, he wouldn't need to storm the castle to bring his father's murderer to justice; the police would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/if-inigo-montoya-were-around-now-he-wouldn-t-need-to-storm-the-castle/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Most of us know nothing about constitutional law, so it's hardly surprising that we take sides in the Obamacare debate the way we root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/most-of-us-know-nothing-about-constitutional-law-so-it-s-hardly/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [“Being a good person likely is more related to distanced feelings of compassion and kindness, along with intelligence, self-control, and a sense of justice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/being-a-good-person-likely-is-more-related-to-distanced-feelings-of/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Imagination is Reality Lite - a useful substitute when the real pleasure is inaccessible, too risky, or too much work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/imagination-is-reality-lite-a-useful-substitute-when-the-real/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [One way to make a baby cry is to expose it to cries of other babies. There's sort of contagiousness to the crying. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/one-way-to-make-a-baby-cry-is-to-expose-it-to-cries-of-other-babies/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I want to convince you that humans are, to some extent, natural born essentialists. What I mean by this is we don't just respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-want-to-convince-you-that-humans-are-to-some-extent-natural-born/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [The fact that something can be used for good isn't necessarily a knockdown argument for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/the-fact-that-something-can-be-used-for-good-isn-t-necessarily-a/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [ Our best hope for the future \[...\] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an-appreciation-of-the-fact-that/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [When people want to inspire you to turn against some group of people, they'll often use empathy. When Obama wanted to bomb Syria, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/when-people-want-to-inspire-you-to-turn-against-some-group-of-people/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I'm very interested in why we do good things, or bad things, and where moral judgments come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-m-very-interested-in-why-we-do-good-things-or-bad-things-and-where/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I have my own difficulty with movies in which the suffering of the characters is too real, and many find it difficult to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-have-my-own-difficulty-with-movies-in-which-the-suffering-of-the/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I think what a lot of fiction is, is the imagining of the worst so as to prepare ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-think-what-a-lot-of-fiction-is-is-the-imagining-of-the-worst-so-as/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Morality is often seen as an innovation, like agriculture and writing. From this perspective, babies are pint-sized psychopaths, self-interested beings who need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/morality-is-often-seen-as-an-innovation-like-agriculture-and-writing/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) [Explore all 123 Paul Bloom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You might argue on utilitarian grounds that the best way for the world to work is for everybody to take care of themselves first. And people have made that argument. But I just think we would be so much better off if we could care for distant others even a little bit more.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Bloom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-that-the-best-way-for-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-that-the-best-way-for-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/paul-bloom-3720_arguing_you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-t_2008719.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You might argue on utilitarian grounds that the best way for the world to work is for everybody to take care…” — Paul Bloom", "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": "Paul Bloom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You might argue on utilitarian grounds...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-that-the-best-way-for-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/you-might-argue-on-utilitarian-grounds-that-the-best-way-for-the/#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 } } ] } ```