--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Act'. How many good people do you really…" description: "\"“Act'. How many good people do you really know? I discount those who mouth out platitudes for the edification of the young, and who truly are 'good', w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/sherwood-smith-10181_bad_act-how-many-good-people-do-you-really-k_1854079.jpg" --- # Act'. How many good people do you really know? I discount… ![“Act'. How many good people do you really know? I discount those who mouth out platitudes for the edification of the young, and who truly are 'good', whatever that means?" What a strange subject, and from such a strange person!"Everyone I know is a mixture, some with more good than bad, and it…” quote by Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/sherwood-smith-10181_bad_act-how-many-good-people-do-you-really-k_1854079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/sherwood-smith-10181_bad_act-how-many-good-people-do-you-really-k_1854079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/sherwood-smith-10181_bad_act-how-many-good-people-do-you-really-k_1854079.jpg) > ““Act'. How many good people do you really know? I discount those who mouth out platitudes for the edification of the young, and who truly are 'good', whatever that means?" What a strange subject, and from such a strange person!"Everyone I know is a mixture, some with more good than bad, and it varies on different days,”” [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goodness is ambiguous; people display both virtue and flaw, varying daily **In simple terms:** Human morality is mixed and changes over time Key Takeaway Accept complexity in judging character Themes ethics human nature subjectivity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical conversational When to use this quote - personal relationships - team dynamics - leadership evaluation Key Concepts moral relativism identity social perception Questions to Reflect On - What defines 'good' in different contexts? - How do we reconcile contradictory actions in a person? A Different Perspective Assuming static moral labels oversimplifies reality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) ## Related quotes > [“What if feeling good only comes after you destroy someone you hate?' 'That's not good, that's triumph,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/what-if-feeling-good-only-comes-after-you-destroy-someone-you-hate/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“What's it really like to always be the prettiest person in a room? Dos it mean you're always acting as if in a play,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/what-s-it-really-like-to-always-be-the-prettiest-person-in-a-room-dos/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“If everywhere you go everyone watches you, and wants you, can you truly be yourself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/if-everywhere-you-go-everyone-watches-you-and-wants-you-can-you-truly/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [It's good that people don't like you. That's good. It means that you are doing something interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/it-s-good-that-people-don-t-like-you-that-s-good-it-means-that-you/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [“Life is just a mixture of good and bad, of varying shades of grays and whites and blacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-cole/life-is-just-a-mixture-of-good-and-bad-of-varying-shades-of-grays-and/) [Courtney Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-cole/) > [The same thing can be both good and bad. Whenever you speak of good, bad is also present. The world is a mixture of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-satchidananda/the-same-thing-can-be-both-good-and-bad-whenever-you-speak-of-good/) [Swami Satchidananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-satchidananda/) > [I do not believe in a mixture of good and evil in the world, or in myself. All is Good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-curtis-hopkins/i-do-not-believe-in-a-mixture-of-good-and-evil-in-the-world-or-in/) [Emma Curtis Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-curtis-hopkins/) > [Life is a mixture of good and bad, without bad, good can not exist in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuvika/life-is-a-mixture-of-good-and-bad-without-bad-good-can-not-exist-in/) [Yuvika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuvika/) > [The test of your worldview is not how you act in the good times. The test of your worldview is how you act at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-test-of-your-worldview-is-not-how-you-act-in-the-good-times-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Anybody can act good to be around when they are doing really well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-butler/anybody-can-act-good-to-be-around-when-they-are-doing-really-well/) [Billy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-butler/) > [I've always thought of acting as a tool to change society. I watch a lot of actors and I see panic in their eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-ve-always-thought-of-acting-as-a-tool-to-change-society-i-watch-a/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Humanitarian issues must bring together all people who act in good faith trying to alleviate the suffering of people in dire need - especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/humanitarian-issues-must-bring-together-all-people-who-act-in-good/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Any one may do a casual act of good-nature; but a continuation of them shows it a part of the temperament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/any-one-may-do-a-casual-act-of-good-nature-but-a-continuation-of-them/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [“Some consider me as a bad influence, but I prefer to see myself as indifferent. To define an act as good or evil is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-koevari/some-consider-me-as-a-bad-influence-but-i-prefer-to-see-myself-as/) [Peter Koevari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-koevari/) > [people think they have to be good before they can act good. But ... it works just as well the other way 'round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-dawkins/people-think-they-have-to-be-good-before-they-can-act-good-but-it/) Cecil Dawkins ## More by Sherwood Smith > [“Who in the universe halts when the enemy tells them to?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/who-in-the-universe-halts-when-the-enemy-tells-them-to/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [Except. What is normal at any given time? We change just as the seasons change, and each spring brings new growth. So nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/except-what-is-normal-at-any-given-time-we-change-just-as-the-seasons/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [It would have been funny if I had been an observer and not a participant, an idea that gave me a disconcerting insight into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/it-would-have-been-funny-if-i-had-been-an-observer-and-not-a/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [I have made number mistakes - I have such bad number dyslexia that I can look at a number and see the wrong one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/i-have-made-number-mistakes-i-have-such-bad-number-dyslexia-that-i/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“War is a convenient fix for government problems if it happens somewhere else. To other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/war-is-a-convenient-fix-for-government-problems-if-it-happens/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“If your opponent is better armed and has longer reach, then surprise is your only ally. And then you'd better hope he's half asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/if-your-opponent-is-better-armed-and-has-longer-reach-then-surprise/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [As a kid, I pretty much got nothing but scorn, and occasionally active animus, for writing fantasy and squirreling it away in my closet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/as-a-kid-i-pretty-much-got-nothing-but-scorn-and-occasionally-active/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“The more one has, the less one desires.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/the-more-one-has-the-less-one-desires/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“Fall in love with heart, not head, to trouble you’re led. Fall in love with heart and mind, then true love you’ll find.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/fall-in-love-with-heart-not-head-to-trouble-you-re-led-fall-in-love/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [I had seen ardency in men's eyes, but I had only felt it once. With Flauvic, false and therefore easy to dismiss. I suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/i-had-seen-ardency-in-men-s-eyes-but-i-had-only-felt-it-once-with/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [Everyone is an idiot," I stated. 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It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Act'. How many good people do you really know? 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