--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Punishing achievement isn't gonna help…" description: "\"Punishing achievement isn't gonna help anybody. Trying to equalize people by lowering the people at the top, that's not good. All that is is punitive. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/rush-limbaugh-28_achievement_punishing-achievement-isn-t-gonna-help-a_1519914.jpg" --- # Punishing achievement isn't gonna help anybody. Trying to… ![“Punishing achievement isn't gonna help anybody. Trying to equalize people by lowering the people at the top, that's not good. All that is is punitive. Why don't you find a way to elevate people at the bottom?” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/rush-limbaugh-28_achievement_punishing-achievement-isn-t-gonna-help-a_1519914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/rush-limbaugh-28_achievement_punishing-achievement-isn-t-gonna-help-a_1519914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3a/rush-limbaugh-28_achievement_punishing-achievement-isn-t-gonna-help-a_1519914.jpg) > “Punishing achievement isn't gonna help anybody. Trying to equalize people by lowering the people at the top, that's not good. All that is is punitive. Why don't you find a way to elevate people at the bottom?” [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Punishment harms everyone; better to lift the disadvantaged rather than lower the elite. **In simple terms:** Punishment is harmful; uplift instead. Key Takeaway Seek uplifting solutions. Themes justice economics policy ethics Mood analytical concerned Type political ethical When to use this quote - public policy - education reform - job training - community development Key Concepts redistributive justice social mobility Questions to Reflect On - How can society balance fairness and incentive? - What policies effectively raise the lowest without harming growth? A Different Perspective Elevating the bottom may require resources from the top. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The political horizon looks dark and lowering; but the people, under Providence, will set all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-political-horizon-looks-dark-and-lowering-but-the-people-under/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The more we elevate people's lives - the more we treat people with dignity and respect and honor their rights and freedoms - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-thomas-greenfield/the-more-we-elevate-people-s-lives-the-more-we-treat-people-with/) [Linda Thomas-Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-thomas-greenfield/) > [“Invent, build, celebrate, elevate people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/invent-build-celebrate-elevate-people/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [As a Donald Trump supporter, the battle to elevate the will of the people above that of the establishment is one with which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/as-a-donald-trump-supporter-the-battle-to-elevate-the-will-of-the/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [One of the things that we do is we elevate people. We put them on pedestals, and people are flawed. No one is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/one-of-the-things-that-we-do-is-we-elevate-people-we-put-them-on/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [Getting angry is punishing yourself for the mistakes of others!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya/getting-angry-is-punishing-yourself-for-the-mistakes-of-others/) [Divya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya/) > [“Maybe we're mad at someone else and we want to punish him by punishing ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-soriano/maybe-we-re-mad-at-someone-else-and-we-want-to-punish-him-by/) [Jocelyn Soriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-soriano/) > [Depression is so treacherous - it can be so alluring as well as punishing. After all, it's yours and yours alone - no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-jefferson/depression-is-so-treacherous-it-can-be-so-alluring-as-well-as/) [Margo Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-jefferson/) > [Poverty can't be eliminated by punishing people who've escaped poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/poverty-can-t-be-eliminated-by-punishing-people-who-ve-escaped-poverty/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Chemo is properly punishing, and it's hard to do things at the usual level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-shapps/chemo-is-properly-punishing-and-it-s-hard-to-do-things-at-the-usual/) [Grant Shapps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-shapps/) > [When God takes away something from your hands, don't ever think that He is punishing you instead He is just leaving you empty handed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/when-god-takes-away-something-from-your-hands-don-t-ever-think-that/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [“When he broke that long kiss, he smiled at her before kissing her hard. “So, my love, I hope that your punishment will stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khul-waters/when-he-broke-that-long-kiss-he-smiled-at-her-before-kissing-her-hard/) [Khul Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khul-waters/) > [“It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/it-is-better-for-a-leader-to-make-a-mistake-in-forgiving-than-to-make/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/) > [Understand this law and you will then know, beyond room for the slightest doubt, that you are constantly punishing yourself for every wrong you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/understand-this-law-and-you-will-then-know-beyond-room-for-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You're punishing him over and over for things that are out of his control. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have a fully loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/you-re-punishing-him-over-and-over-for-things-that-are-out-of-his/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More by Rush Limbaugh > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ The real leadership of the opposition is never, ever gonna do anything but continue to ramp up efforts to stop \[Donald\] Trump or destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-real-leadership-of-the-opposition-is-never-ever-gonna-do-anything/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can't see the Democrats working with Donald Trump on tax reform unless the rich get soaked. The thing about this that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-see-the-democrats-working-with-donald-trump-on-tax-reform/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [People from all over the world came to America and assimilated into a single culture rooted in the founding, which is rooted in individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/people-from-all-over-the-world-came-to-america-and-assimilated-into-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The left wants to transform America away from founding ideals, and this is it. And they know it. And they're doing everything they, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-wants-to-transform-america-away-from-founding-ideals-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There is an all-out assault now on the Christian community in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-an-all-out-assault-now-on-the-christian-community-in-this/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ Four states where \[Democrats\] have the governorship and both houses of the legislature. That's it. They have lost seats. They are not gonna win… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/four-states-where-democrats-have-the-governorship-and-both-houses-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Explore all 2,819 Rush Limbaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. 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If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. 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