--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The legal system doesn't always serve as…" description: "\"The legal system doesn't always serve as a good guide for your conscience. You can step way over the ethical line and still be inside the law. The same..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/price-pritchett-12389_behave_the-legal-system-doesn-t-always-serve-as_2470992.jpg" --- # The legal system doesn't always serve as a good guide for… ![“The legal system doesn't always serve as a good guide for your conscience. You can step way over the ethical line and still be inside the law. The same thing goes for rules, policies and procedures - you know, the organization's "internal laws." You can "go by the book" and still behave…” quote by Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/price-pritchett-12389_behave_the-legal-system-doesn-t-always-serve-as_2470992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/price-pritchett-12389_behave_the-legal-system-doesn-t-always-serve-as_2470992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/price-pritchett-12389_behave_the-legal-system-doesn-t-always-serve-as_2470992.jpg) > “The legal system doesn't always serve as a good guide for your conscience. You can step way over the ethical line and still be inside the law. The same thing goes for rules, policies and procedures - you know, the organization's "internal laws." You can "go by the book" and still behave unethically. Still not move beyond mediocrity. High standards-the ethics of excellence-come to life through your basic values, your character, integrity and honesty. Obeying the law is the bare minimum.” [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law and personal conscience often diverge; legal compliance alone doesn't guarantee ethical behavior. **In simple terms:** Law ≠ ethics; integrity matters more. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal integrity beyond legal compliance. Themes ethics integrity law values leadership Mood thoughtful critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business decisions - policy making - personal dilemmas - leadership challenges Key Concepts Moral philosophy organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your actions align with personal values? - When should you challenge a law that feels unethical? A Different Perspective Legal frameworks may be insufficient to address moral complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bare Minimum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bare-minimum/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-integrity/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [High standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-standards/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Honesty and integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty-and-integrity/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Integrity And Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity-and-honesty/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Legal system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal-system/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Far more violence has been done in obeying the law than in breaking the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/far-more-violence-has-been-done-in-obeying-the-law-than-in-breaking/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [What I'm doing is obeying the law of diffusion of innovations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/what-i-m-doing-is-obeying-the-law-of-diffusion-of-innovations/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Conscience is the inner beauty.Let your conscience be your guide.Your conscience make you to live by choice, not by chance, to be self esteem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/conscience-is-the-inner-beauty-let-your-conscience-be-your-guide-your/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [I think that the only ultimate guide we have is our conscience, and if the law of the land goes against our conscience I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-that-the-only-ultimate-guide-we-have-is-our-conscience-and-if/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“Without an awareness of blind spots, traditional approaches to ethics won’t be particularly useful in improving behavior. If, like most people, you routinely fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-h-bazerman/without-an-awareness-of-blind-spots-traditional-approaches-to-ethics/) Max H. Bazerman > [“How wonderful that God should endow us with this sensitive yet strong guide we call a conscience! Someone has aptly re-marked that "conscience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/how-wonderful-that-god-should-endow-us-with-this-sensitive-yet-strong/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [In day-to-day life, you have stimulus to behave unethically, but in the long term, it always pays off to be ethical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-paulo-lemann/in-day-to-day-life-you-have-stimulus-to-behave-unethically-but-in-the/) [Jorge Paulo Lemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-paulo-lemann/) > [I have learned that the ethics of the so-called markets can be different from what we learn at school. In day-to-day life you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-paulo-lemann/i-have-learned-that-the-ethics-of-the-so-called-markets-can-be/) [Jorge Paulo Lemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-paulo-lemann/) > [I am accountable for all the actions at my laboratory. I am accountable for all of the policies and procedures of security systems, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-browne-baron-browne-of-madingley/i-am-accountable-for-all-the-actions-at-my-laboratory-i-am/) John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley > [Labor force needs and economic conditions are disregarded in our policies. Many aspects of our current policies and procedures are patently wrong. For example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/labor-force-needs-and-economic-conditions-are-disregarded-in-our/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Master data management is a discipline that goes hand in hand with information governance. Forward-thinking organizations are instituting processes to gain agreement on roles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/master-data-management-is-a-discipline-that-goes-hand-in-hand-with/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) > [The United States need to put internet processes, policies, and procedures in place with real laws that forbid going beyond the borders of what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-united-states-need-to-put-internet-processes-policies-and/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The methods that will most effectively minimize the ability of intruders to compromise information security are comprehensive user training and education. Enacting policies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-methods-that-will-most-effectively-minimize-the-ability-of/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/in-its-majestic-equality-the-law-forbids-rich-and-poor-alike-to-sleep/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [If you've been here 15 years and you've got three kids and grandkids and you've been paying taxes and obeying the law, you belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/if-you-ve-been-here-15-years-and-you-ve-got-three-kids-and-grandkids/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) ## More by Price Pritchett > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [As tough as it sometimes looks on the front end, it's easier to do right than undo wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/as-tough-as-it-sometimes-looks-on-the-front-end-it-s-easier-to-do/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [In these times of self-directed teams, empowered employees, and "boundaryless" organizations, your worth as an individual employee will also get measured by your work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/in-these-times-of-self-directed-teams-empowered-employees-and/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Some people argue against both optimism and pessimism in favor of so-called realistic thinking. They distrust optimism on the grounds that it causes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/some-people-argue-against-both-optimism-and-pessimism-in-favor-of-so/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Your doubts are not the product of accurate thinking, but habitual thinking. Years ago you excepted flawed conclusions as correct, begin to live your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/your-doubts-are-not-the-product-of-accurate-thinking-but-habitual/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We all faced painful ethical challenges before we even knew how to spell our names. There were tough choices. Tradeoffs. Confusing signals regarding how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-all-faced-painful-ethical-challenges-before-we-even-knew-how-to/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we have to hold out for high standards in the products or services we provide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outcome-sure-we-have-to-hold-out/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Notice that "I" is at the center of the word "ethical." There is no "they." Achieving the ethics of excellence is our individual assignment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/notice-that-i-is-at-the-center-of-the-word-ethical-there-is-no-they/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [The only way we can develop muscle is through regular exercise. As soon as we stop stretching and working toward higher ethics, our standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-only-way-we-can-develop-muscle-is-through-regular-exercise-as/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [When you hold out for high standards, people are impressed-but they don't always like you for it. Not everybody will be on your side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/when-you-hold-out-for-high-standards-people-are-impressed-but-they/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Everybody makes honest mistakes, but there's no such thing as an honest cover-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/everybody-makes-honest-mistakes-but-there-s-no-such-thing-as-an/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [If you must doubt something, doubt your limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/if-you-must-doubt-something-doubt-your-limits/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [High personal standards aren't enough for organizational excellence. You've got to be intolerant of low standards in others. . . . If you accommodate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/high-personal-standards-aren-t-enough-for-organizational-excellence/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [You can't put someone else in charge of your morals. Ethics is a personal discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-put-someone-else-in-charge-of-your-morals-ethics-is-a/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) [Explore all 55 Price Pritchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) ## More Behave quotes > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You can behave as badly as you like in America. Nobody notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/you-can-behave-as-badly-as-you-like-in-america-nobody-notices/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [“Then Olympus it is. But do try to behave. I know it’s hard for you, but… (Delphine) I won’t piss on the floor. (Jericho)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/then-olympus-it-is-but-do-try-to-behave-i-know-it-s-hard-for-you-but/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [This is a time in my life where I'm gonna behave like an elegant human being. Or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/this-is-a-time-in-my-life-where-i-m-gonna-behave-like-an-elegant/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Most people, even in simple risky situations, don't behave the way the theory of utility would have them behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-raiffa/most-people-even-in-simple-risky-situations-don-t-behave-the-way-the/) [Howard Raiffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-raiffa/) > [As a club, we have an educational purpose: to give back to those people who love Arsenal so that they learn moral values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/as-a-club-we-have-an-educational-purpose-to-give-back-to-those-people/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) Morton Irving Seiden > [Do we behave out of fear of punishment, or out of the demands of our heart? For me, it is the latter, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-we-behave-out-of-fear-of-punishment-or-out-of-the-demands-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) Browse all 1,587 Behave quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The legal system doesn't always serve as a good guide for your conscience. 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