--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we know in what way society is…" description: "\"“If we know in what way society is unbalanced, we must do what we can to add weight to the lighter scale ... we must have formed a conception of equili..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg" --- # If we know in what way society is unbalanced, we must do… ![“If we know in what way society is unbalanced, we must do what we can to add weight to the lighter scale ... we must have formed a conception of equilibrium and be ever ready to change sides like justice, 'that fugitive from the camp of conquerors'.” quote by Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg) > ““If we know in what way society is unbalanced, we must do what we can to add weight to the lighter scale ... we must have formed a conception of equilibrium and be ever ready to change sides like justice, 'that fugitive from the camp of conquerors'.”” [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding societal imbalance requires actively correcting it and staying flexible to shift perspectives for justice. **In simple terms:** Fix imbalance by adding weight to the lighter side and stay ready to change sides for justice. Key Takeaway Act to rebalance and stay adaptable. Themes justice balance activism flexibility Mood determined reflective Type ethical political When to use this quote - policy reform - community organizing - advocacy - personal bias awareness Key Concepts social equity ethical responsibility dynamic equilibrium Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify when to shift your stance? - What actions can you take to support the under‑represented? A Different Perspective Changing sides may be seen as inconsistency, risking credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-sides-1946651/) [Equilibrium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equilibrium/) [Equilibrium Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equilibrium-ready-3623272/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Ready To Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready-to-change/) [Society Unbalanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-unbalanced-1699969/) [Unbalanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbalanced/) ## Related quotes > [One must always be ready to change sides with justice, that fugitive from the winning camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/one-must-always-be-ready-to-change-sides-with-justice-that-fugitive/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [As long as society is absolutely divided as milk is, the cream being at the top and the impoverished milk at the bottom, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/as-long-as-society-is-absolutely-divided-as-milk-is-the-cream-being/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [We need to make sure that we're not in a society that is unbalanced and unfair and where the richest Americans are taking advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-steyer/we-need-to-make-sure-that-we-re-not-in-a-society-that-is-unbalanced/) [Tom Steyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-steyer/) > [Behind a leader there must be followers, but they should always be on the lookout for the main chance and ready to change sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-douglas/behind-a-leader-there-must-be-followers-but-they-should-always-be-on/) [Mary Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-douglas/) > [Sustainable development and climate change are two sides of the same coin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/sustainable-development-and-climate-change-are-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [And realizing there is no such thing as the Black experience. Time and events allow for change on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-childress/and-realizing-there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-black-experience-time-and/) [Alice Childress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-childress/) > [“I don't want to change sides and just be told what to do. There's no reason to change if I do that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-don-t-want-to-change-sides-and-just-be-told-what-to-do-there-s-no/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You are not crazy. You are just ready to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/you-are-not-crazy-you-are-just-ready-to-change/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [Its not that some peoples have will power and some dont its that Some people are ready to change and others are not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-not-that-some-peoples-have-will-power-and-some-dont-its-that-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't change unless you're ready to change. J.L](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/you-can-t-change-unless-you-re-ready-to-change-j-l/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Common man does not speculate about the great problems. With regard to them he relies upon other people's authority, he behaves as "every decent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/common-man-does-not-speculate-about-the-great-problems-with-regard-to/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“Books, by their very nature and variety, help us grow in empathy for others, in tolerance and awareness. But they should increase our skepticism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/books-by-their-very-nature-and-variety-help-us-grow-in-empathy-for/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [“Only if you are reaady to change yourself can you be ready to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edit-schlaffer/only-if-you-are-reaady-to-change-yourself-can-you-be-ready-to-change/) [Edit Schlaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edit-schlaffer/) > [I think that's what's important, to see how we ourselves can become all that we are and can be. Everybody says they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/i-think-that-s-what-s-important-to-see-how-we-ourselves-can-become/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [I don't think comedy really does change people's minds; I think you can only get someone who is almost ready to change their mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-don-t-think-comedy-really-does-change-people-s-minds-i-think-you/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) ## More by Simone Weil > [Oppression that is clearly inexorable and invincible does not give rise to revolt but to submission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/oppression-that-is-clearly-inexorable-and-invincible-does-not-give/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [One should identify oneself with the universe itself. Everything that is less than the universe is subjected to suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/one-should-identify-oneself-with-the-universe-itself-everything-that/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [What a country calls its vital economic interests are not the things which enable its citizens to live, but the things which enable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/what-a-country-calls-its-vital-economic-interests-are-not-the-things/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-intelligent-man-who-is-proud-of-his-intelligence-is-like-the/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The highest ecstasy is the attention at its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-highest-ecstasy-is-the-attention-at-its-fullest/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [To be innocent is to bear the weight of the entire universe. It is to throw away the counterweight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/to-be-innocent-is-to-bear-the-weight-of-the-entire-universe-it-is-to/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Equality is the public recognition, effectively expressed in institutions and manners, of the principle that an equal degree of attention is due to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/equality-is-the-public-recognition-effectively-expressed-in/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The entire universe is nothing but a great metaphor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-entire-universe-is-nothing-but-a-great-metaphor/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [A beautiful woman looking at her image in the mirror may very well believe the image is herself. An ugly woman knows it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/a-beautiful-woman-looking-at-her-image-in-the-mirror-may-very-well/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Only he who has measured the dominion of force, and knows how not to respect it, is capable of love andjustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/only-he-who-has-measured-the-dominion-of-force-and-knows-how-not-to/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Every time that I think of the crucifixion of Christ, I commit the sin of envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/every-time-that-i-think-of-the-crucifixion-of-christ-i-commit-the-sin/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [A Pharisee is someone who is virtuous out of obedience to the Great Beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/a-pharisee-is-someone-who-is-virtuous-out-of-obedience-to-the-great/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Joy is being fully aware of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/joy-is-being-fully-aware-of-reality/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) [Explore all 443 Simone Weil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## More Equilibrium quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [Perhaps the universe is nothing but an equilibrium of idiocies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/perhaps-the-universe-is-nothing-but-an-equilibrium-of-idiocies/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [I'd like to be able to do complex math in my head. Any kind of adversity and I become very anxious, but if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-woods/i-d-like-to-be-able-to-do-complex-math-in-my-head-any-kind-of/) [Zach Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-woods/) > [Inside movement there is one moment in which the elements are in balance. Photography must seize the importance of this moment and hold immobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/inside-movement-there-is-one-moment-in-which-the-elements-are-in/) [Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/) > [No one imposes things on anyone in Europe. That's not my notion, nor is it my temperament. The EU has always functioned under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/no-one-imposes-things-on-anyone-in-europe-that-s-not-my-notion-nor-is/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [It cannot but happen?that those will survive whose functions happen to be most nearly in equilibrium with the modified aggregate of external forces? This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/it-cannot-but-happen-that-those-will-survive-whose-functions-happen/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious, the earth is solid and full, all creature flourish together, content with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-harmony-with-the-tao-the-sky-is-clear-and-spacious-the-earth-is/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Rights are a protection from society. But only by fulfilling their obligations to society can the individual give meaning to that protection. (V -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/rights-are-a-protection-from-society-but-only-by-fulfilling-their/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [The concept of minimalism is to relax. Like a Zen monk in training, it is something that brings equilibrium to the heart. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-murakami/the-concept-of-minimalism-is-to-relax-like-a-zen-monk-in-training-it/) [Takashi Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-murakami/) > [In anger, my hostility is directed toward another's action and can be extinguished by getting even - an action that reestablishes the equilibrium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-elster/in-anger-my-hostility-is-directed-toward-another-s-action-and-can-be/) [Jon Elster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-elster/) > [We learned to build our emotional muscles, helping us make it through major market falls and grind through the trying times without losing our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-chandler/we-learned-to-build-our-emotional-muscles-helping-us-make-it-through/) [Richard Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-chandler/) > [Equilibrium is the profoundest tendency of all human activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/equilibrium-is-the-profoundest-tendency-of-all-human-activity/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [As there must be moderation in other things, so there must be moderation in self-criticism. Perpetual contemplation of our own actions produces a morbid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/as-there-must-be-moderation-in-other-things-so-there-must-be/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Beauty is not the purpose of creation, it is its reward. Its appearance, often late in the day, is no more than an indication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brassai/beauty-is-not-the-purpose-of-creation-it-is-its-reward-its-appearance/) [Brassai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brassai/) > [In our wildest aberrations we dream of an equilibrium we have left behind and which we naively expect to find at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/in-our-wildest-aberrations-we-dream-of-an-equilibrium-we-have-left/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Browse all 333 Equilibrium quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equilibrium/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If we know in what way society is unbalanced, we must do what we can to add weight to the lighter scale ... we must have formed a conception of equilibrium and be ever ready to change sides like justice, 'that fugitive from the camp of conquerors'.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simone Weil" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbalanced-we-must-do-what-we-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Equilibrium" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbalanced-we-must-do-what-we-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/simone-weil-544_justice_if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbala_1204078.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we know in what way society is unbalanced, we must do what we can to add weight to the lighter scale…” — Simone Weil", "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": "Simone Weil", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If we know in what way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbalanced-we-must-do-what-we-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/if-we-know-in-what-way-society-is-unbalanced-we-must-do-what-we-can/#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 } } ] } ```