--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It cannot be said too often that actions…" description: "\"It cannot be said too often that actions are good or bad in the light of consequences, and that a clear perception of consequences would control action..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/robert-green-ingersoll-361_action_it-cannot-be-said-too-often-that-actions_250880.jpg" --- # It cannot be said too often that actions are good or bad… ![“It cannot be said too often that actions are good or bad in the light of consequences, and that a clear perception of consequences would control actions. That which increases the sum of human happiness is moral; and that which diminishes the sum of human happiness is immoral. . . . Blind…” quote by Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/robert-green-ingersoll-361_action_it-cannot-be-said-too-often-that-actions_250880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/robert-green-ingersoll-361_action_it-cannot-be-said-too-often-that-actions_250880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/robert-green-ingersoll-361_action_it-cannot-be-said-too-often-that-actions_250880.jpg) > “It cannot be said too often that actions are good or bad in the light of consequences, and that a clear perception of consequences would control actions. That which increases the sum of human happiness is moral; and that which diminishes the sum of human happiness is immoral. . . . Blind, unreasoning obedience is the enemy of morality.” [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that actions should be judged by their outcomes on overall happiness, and that blind obedience undermines true morality **In simple terms:** Morality is based on consequences for human happiness, not on unthinking compliance Key Takeaway Consider the consequences of actions before obeying authority Themes ethics consequentialism human welfare Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - personal decision making - education curricula - legal judgments Key Concepts utilitarianism autonomy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What harms might arise from focusing solely on happiness? - How can we balance outcome‑based judgments with principled stands? A Different Perspective Consequentialist ethics can overlook rights and justice in some cases ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Diminish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminish/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-morality-1499648/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Immoral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-immoral-2495667/) [Happiness Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-moral-1204519/) [Human happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-happiness/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Immoral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immoral/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) ## Related quotes > [“Human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/human-happiness-and-moral-duty-are-inseparably-connected/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The consideration that human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected will always continue to prompt me to promote the former by inculcating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-consideration-that-human-happiness-and-moral-duty-are-inseparably/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“His aversion to religion, in the sense usually attached to the term, was of the same kind with that of Lucretius: he regarded it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/his-aversion-to-religion-in-the-sense-usually-attached-to-the-term/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The great enemy of morality is indifference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/the-great-enemy-of-morality-is-indifference/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [ \[The church\] is in its major part an opponent still of progress and improvement in all the ways that diminish suffering in the world,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-church-is-in-its-major-part-an-opponent-still-of-progress-and/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The word happiness is used to indicate at least three related things, which we might roughly call emotional happiness, moral happiness, and judgmental happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/the-word-happiness-is-used-to-indicate-at-least-three-related-things/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [Happiness is a moral obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/happiness-is-a-moral-obligation/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/my-philosophy-in-essence-is-the-concept-of-man-as-a-heroic-being-with/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/achievement-of-your-happiness-is-the-only-moral-purpose-of-your-life/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I see man as a hero. 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Thirty-seven freakin' vibrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-big-difference-between-human-happiness-and-sadness-thirty-seven/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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