--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question is, when so many others cut…" description: "\"The question is, when so many others cut corners, shave the truth, self-deal, believe in the fast buck, and follow the crowd along the low road of leas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg" --- # The question is, when so many others cut corners, shave… ![“The question is, when so many others cut corners, shave the truth, self-deal, believe in the fast buck, and follow the crowd along the low road of least resistance, can we even afford to travel the high road of ethical behavior? Frankly, we can't afford anything else. Any other competitive angle…” quote by Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg) > “The question is, when so many others cut corners, shave the truth, self-deal, believe in the fast buck, and follow the crowd along the low road of least resistance, can we even afford to travel the high road of ethical behavior? Frankly, we can't afford anything else. Any other competitive angle is a pure crapshoot in today's business world. Companies with shaky ethics and shabby standards will be crippled as they try to compete in our changing world.” [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. Choosing ethical conduct over shortcuts may seem costly, but it ensures long‑term resilience and trust in a competitive market. **In simple terms:** Ethics may cost more now but protect future success. Key Takeaway Prioritize integrity over short‑term gains. Themes ethics integrity competition long‑term strategy Mood serious determined Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - strategic planning - leadership decisions - brand management - risk assessment Key Concepts Corporate responsibility reputational risk sustainable advantage Questions to Reflect On - How can firms measure the long‑term value of ethics? - What incentives encourage ethical behavior? A Different Perspective Ethical choices can reduce short‑term profits and face internal resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-world/) [Changing World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-world/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Ethical behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical-behavior/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [High road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-road/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Man is an animal with primary instincts of survival. Consequently his ingenuity has developed first and his soul afterwards. The progress of science is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/man-is-an-animal-with-primary-instincts-of-survival-consequently-his/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [Don't make misrepresentations to anyone you deal with. If you believe the other person may have misunderstood you, correct any misunderstanding you find exists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/don-t-make-misrepresentations-to-anyone-you-deal-with-if-you-believe/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [“You are responsible for everything you TWEET and RETWEET.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/you-are-responsible-for-everything-you-tweet-and-retweet/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [We all have one, in one form or another. To me, this dragon is both the wild nature of ourselves and our conscience in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/we-all-have-one-in-one-form-or-another-to-me-this-dragon-is-both-the/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) > [It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously. I also cannot imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-seems-to-me-that-the-idea-of-a-personal-god-is-an-anthropological/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [No responsibility of government is more fundamental than the responsibility of maintaining the highest standard of ethical behavior for those who conduct the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/no-responsibility-of-government-is-more-fundamental-than-the/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“I do most sincerely believe that ethical behavior as we best construe it ought to be followed by us throughout our lives, even on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/i-do-most-sincerely-believe-that-ethical-behavior-as-we-best-construe/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/man-would-indeeded-be-in-a-poor-way-if-he-had-to-be-restrained-by/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There's a great deal of difference between thinking reflectively about moral issues and achieving higher standards of ethical behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/there-s-a-great-deal-of-difference-between-thinking-reflectively/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [Most corporate mission statements are worthless. They consist largely of pious platitudes such as: "We will hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/most-corporate-mission-statements-are-worthless-they-consist-largely/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [“Our treatment of animals and our attitude toward them are crucial not only to any pretensions we have to ethical behavior but the humankind's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-williams/our-treatment-of-animals-and-our-attitude-toward-them-are-crucial-not/) [Joy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-williams/) > [A kernel of truth lurks at the heart of religion, because spiritual experience, ethical behavior, and strong communities are essential for human happiness. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/a-kernel-of-truth-lurks-at-the-heart-of-religion-because-spiritual/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I am unable to take seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-idea-of-a-personal-god-is-an-anthropological-concept-which-i-am/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A country should be defended not by arms, but by ethical behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinoba-bhave/a-country-should-be-defended-not-by-arms-but-by-ethical-behavior/) [Vinoba Bhave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinoba-bhave/) > [But you cannot have harmony without a commitment to ethical behavior. It's the fence that keeps out the goats that will eat all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/but-you-cannot-have-harmony-without-a-commitment-to-ethical-behavior/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## 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 Angle quotes > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [I like small things, I like small moments that are almost elliptical, that are not necessarily linear; they're natural things that happen in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-carter/i-like-small-things-i-like-small-moments-that-are-almost-elliptical/) [Keith Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-carter/) > [Los Angles to me seems to be a little bit more forgiving. They're just as rowdy and they're just as excited but they understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/los-angles-to-me-seems-to-be-a-little-bit-more-forgiving-they-re-just/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [Our mind is a flowing something. It oscillates. Concentration is merely the continuous return to the same problem from a million angles… So my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-laubach/our-mind-is-a-flowing-something-it-oscillates-concentration-is-merely/) [Frank Laubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-laubach/) > [There's only a very small representation of girls among you. Too little. Women have much to tell us in today’s society. Sometimes we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/there-s-only-a-very-small-representation-of-girls-among-you-too/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The genius is a genius by the first look he casts on any object. Is his eye creative? Does he not rest in angles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-genius-is-a-genius-by-the-first-look-he-casts-on-any-object-is/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Once I'd worked out that I couldn't possibly expect people to enjoy a monstrous, 3000-page book, I realised I could in fact create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/once-i-d-worked-out-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-expect-people-to-enjoy-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Writing is a intensely personal activity. I can pen down my best thoughts when I'm alone. But when one is elevated into the stature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/writing-is-a-intensely-personal-activity-i-can-pen-down-my-best/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [I have known a very good, fisher angle diligently four or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/i-have-known-a-very-good-fisher-angle-diligently-four-or-six-hours/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“Distribution of weight is preferable to balancing everything on the head of a pin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psixaristw/distribution-of-weight-is-preferable-to-balancing-everything-on-the/) Psixaristw > [He was not as soft as when I'd first met him, not as young, but the angles of his face, his quick gestures, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/he-was-not-as-soft-as-when-i-d-first-met-him-not-as-young-but-the/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [If somebody is really trying to take your head off with a baseball bat - I don't know how long you're supposed to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-somebody-is-really-trying-to-take-your-head-off-with-a-baseball/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Sometimes I sit and look at life from a different angle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/sometimes-i-sit-and-look-at-life-from-a-different-angle/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one's inwardness, for better or worse. As I teach I project the condition of my soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/teaching-like-any-truly-human-activity-emerges-from-one-s-inwardness/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) Browse all 645 Angle quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The question is, when so many others cut corners, shave the truth, self-deal, believe in the fast buck, and follow the crowd along the low road of least resistance, can we even afford to travel the high road of ethical behavior? Frankly, we can't afford anything else. Any other competitive angle is a pure crapshoot in today's business world. Companies with shaky ethics and shabby standards will be crippled as they try to compete in our changing world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Price Pritchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut-corners-shave-the-truth-self/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut-corners-shave-the-truth-self/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/price-pritchett-12389_angle_the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut_3109128.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The question is, when so many others cut corners, shave the truth, self-deal, believe in the fast buck, and…” — Price Pritchett", "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": "Price Pritchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The question is, when so many...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut-corners-shave-the-truth-self/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-question-is-when-so-many-others-cut-corners-shave-the-truth-self/#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 } } ] } ```