---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men seldom understand any laws but those…"
description: "\"Men seldom understand any laws but those they feel.\" — Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg"
---

#  Men seldom understand any laws but those they feel.

![“Men seldom understand any laws but those they feel.” quote by Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg)

> “Men seldom understand any laws but those they feel.”

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People obey laws that resonate with their personal values; abstract rules feel irrelevant.

**In simple terms:** Laws work when they feel personal.

Key Takeaway

Alignment drives compliance.

Themes

law psychology motivation culture ethics

Mood

analytical thoughtful pragmatic

Type

observation advice

When to use this quote

- drafting public policy
- designing workplace rules
- creating community guidelines
- educating citizens

Key Concepts

personal relevance social contract

Practical Applications

- participatory lawmaking
- values‑based messaging

Questions to Reflect On

- How can legislators embed personal relevance into statutes?
- What risks arise when laws appeal only to feelings?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-feel-1151727/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Seldom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-seldom-359759/) [Seldom Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seldom-understand-1151726/) [Understand Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-laws-1151728/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm anti-making new laws. I feel like assault is already against the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/i-m-anti-making-new-laws-i-feel-like-assault-is-already-against-the/)

[Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/)

> [We so seldom understand each other. But if understanding is neither here nor there, and the universe is infinite, then understand that no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-koyczan/we-so-seldom-understand-each-other-but-if-understanding-is-neither/)

[Shane Koyczan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-koyczan/)

> [The American people have the right to know and understand the laws they live under. And they tend to demand answers sooner or later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podesta/the-american-people-have-the-right-to-know-and-understand-the-laws/)

[John Podesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podesta/)

> [As I understand it, laws, commands, rules and edicts are for those who have not the light which makres plain the pathway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hutchinson/as-i-understand-it-laws-commands-rules-and-edicts-are-for-those-who/)

[Anne Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hutchinson/)

> [“To understand the precise point when the possible becomes the impossible, you have to appreciate and understand the laws of physics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/to-understand-the-precise-point-when-the-possible-becomes-the/)

[Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/)

> [It is likewise to be observed that this society hath a peculiar chant and jargon of their own, that no other mortal can understand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/it-is-likewise-to-be-observed-that-this-society-hath-a-peculiar-chant/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [Men seldom act from a correct sense of what may be harmful or useful to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/men-seldom-act-from-a-correct-sense-of-what-may-be-harmful-or-useful/)

[Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/)

> [Great men are seldom over-scrupulous in the arrangement of their attire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/great-men-are-seldom-over-scrupulous-in-the-arrangement-of-their/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Men are seldom helpless against their own evil wishes, and in their souls they know it. But common men love flattery not less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/men-are-seldom-helpless-against-their-own-evil-wishes-and-in-their/)

[Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/)

> [Men very seldom change, try though we will, beneath the shifts of exterior doctrine, our hearts so often remain what they were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-kempton/men-very-seldom-change-try-though-we-will-beneath-the-shifts-of/)

[Murray Kempton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-kempton/)

> [A great cause of evil in the world is that men seldom think themselves criminal if they offer the same injustice to others that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/a-great-cause-of-evil-in-the-world-is-that-men-seldom-think/)

[Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/)

> [Men seldom rise from low condition to high rank without employing either force or fraud, unless that rank should be attained either by gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-seldom-rise-from-low-condition-to-high-rank-without-employing/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [I believe in our side and theirs, with the good and evil decided after the fact, by those who survive. Among men you seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-cook/i-believe-in-our-side-and-theirs-with-the-good-and-evil-decided-after/)

[Glen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-cook/)

> [One of the great tragedies of life is that men seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-of-the-great-tragedies-of-life-is-that-men-seldom-bridge-the-gulf/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Men seldom persevere in a vocation unless they believe or can convince themselves that it is fundamentally more important than anyother calling. Women are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/men-seldom-persevere-in-a-vocation-unless-they-believe-or-can/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

## More by Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet

> [When by habit a man cometh to have a bargaining soul, its wings are cut, so that it can never soar. It bindeth reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/when-by-habit-a-man-cometh-to-have-a-bargaining-soul-its-wings-are/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [Men that cannot entertain themselves want somebody, though they care for nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/men-that-cannot-entertain-themselves-want-somebody-though-they-care/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [There is hardly any man so strict as not to vary a little from truth when he is to make an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/there-is-hardly-any-man-so-strict-as-not-to-vary-a-little-from-truth/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [You should live in the world so as it may hang about you like a loose garment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/you-should-live-in-the-world-so-as-it-may-hang-about-you-like-a-loose/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [When the People contend for their Liberty, they seldom get anything by their Victory but new masters. Power is so apt to be insolent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/when-the-people-contend-for-their-liberty-they-seldom-get-anything-by/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [Could we know what men are most apt to remember, we might know what they are most apt to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/could-we-know-what-men-are-most-apt-to-remember-we-might-know-what/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [He who thinks his place below him, will certainly be below his place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/he-who-thinks-his-place-below-him-will-certainly-be-below-his-place/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [Weak men are the worse for the good sense they read in books because it furnisheth them only with more matter to mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/weak-men-are-the-worse-for-the-good-sense-they-read-in-books-because/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [Our virtues and vices couple with one another, and get children that resemble both their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/our-virtues-and-vices-couple-with-one-another-and-get-children-that/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [Men in business are in as much danger from those at work under them as from those that work against them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/men-in-business-are-in-as-much-danger-from-those-at-work-under-them/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [A wise man will keep his Suspicions muzzled, but he will keep them awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/a-wise-man-will-keep-his-suspicions-muzzled-but-he-will-keep-them/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

> [The law hath so many contradictions and varyings from itself, that the law may not improperly be called a law-breaker. It is become too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/the-law-hath-so-many-contradictions-and-varyings-from-itself-that-the/)

[Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

[Explore all 13 Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/)

## More Feel quotes

> [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/)

[Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/)

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/)

[AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/)

> [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/)

[Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/)

[Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/)

> [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/)

[George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/)

> [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/)

[Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/)

> [I like to wear bodysuits and things that make me feel really active and athletic and also really sensual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/i-like-to-wear-bodysuits-and-things-that-make-me-feel-really-active/)

[Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/)

> [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/)

[Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/)

> [You make me feel brand new today. Even my day is full of trials and pain…Thanks for everything...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lantapi/you-make-me-feel-brand-new-today-even-my-day-is-full-of-trials-and/)

[Richard Lantapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lantapi/)

> [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/)

[Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/)

> [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

[Browse all 26,675 Feel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Men seldom understand any laws but those they feel.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those-they-feel/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feel"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those-they-feel/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet_feel_men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those_93133.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Men seldom understand any laws but those they feel.” — Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet",
                "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": "Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Men seldom understand any laws but...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those-they-feel/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-george-savile-8th-baronet/men-seldom-understand-any-laws-but-those-they-feel/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
