--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Things are not to be judged good or bad…" description: "\"Things are not to be judged good or bad merely because the public think so.\" — Tacitus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/tacitus-1552_inspirational_things-are-not-to-be-judged-good-or-bad_1013480.jpg" --- # Things are not to be judged good or bad merely because the… ![“Things are not to be judged good or bad merely because the public think so.” quote by Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/tacitus-1552_inspirational_things-are-not-to-be-judged-good-or-bad_1013480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/tacitus-1552_inspirational_things-are-not-to-be-judged-good-or-bad_1013480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/tacitus-1552_inspirational_things-are-not-to-be-judged-good-or-bad_1013480.jpg) > “Things are not to be judged good or bad merely because the public think so.” [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public opinion alone shouldn't define moral judgment; evaluate based on reason and evidence. **In simple terms:** Don't judge solely by popular opinion. Key Takeaway Assess ideas independently. Themes ethics critical thinking society Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - politics - media consumption - education - lawmaking Key Concepts moral philosophy public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a claim? - What values guide your judgments? A Different Perspective Popular views can be misinformed or biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [My life is not merely a public phenomenon, it is a solitary adventure as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/my-life-is-not-merely-a-public-phenomenon-it-is-a-solitary-adventure/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Things should be judged by distance traveled rather than by current position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/things-should-be-judged-by-distance-traveled-rather-than-by-current/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [The welfare state has always been judged by its good intentions, rather than its bad results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-welfare-state-has-always-been-judged-by-its-good-intentions/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [As individuals, we will be judged in our lives by the totality of our actions. Not one thing will stand out. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/as-individuals-we-will-be-judged-in-our-lives-by-the-totality-of-our/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [I like for things to be judged fairly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-like-for-things-to-be-judged-fairly/) [JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/) > [At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/at-the-end-of-life-we-will-not-be-judged-by-how-many-diplomas-we-have/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/things-do-not-pass-for-what-they-are-but-for-what-they-seem-most-2/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/1-corinthians-2-15/the-spiritual-person-judges-all-things-but-is-himself-to-be-judged-by/) 1 Corinthians 2:15 > [“It is important to keep old things, he insisted, because it was through them alone that new things could be judged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-h-cook/it-is-important-to-keep-old-things-he-insisted-because-it-was-through/) [Thomas H. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-h-cook/) > [“Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets. —Baltasar Gracian”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleatha-romig/things-do-not-pass-for-what-they-are-but-for-what-they-seem-most/) [Aleatha Romig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleatha-romig/) > [Don't be someone you know everyone will love. Be who you are, if you get judged, Good: that way you know you're an individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/don-t-be-someone-you-know-everyone-will-love-be-who-you-are-if-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [There is nothing that God has judged good for us that He has not given us the means to accomplish, both in the natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/there-is-nothing-that-god-has-judged-good-for-us-that-he-has-not-2/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“There is nothing that God has judged good for us that He has not given us the means to acomplish, both in the natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/there-is-nothing-that-god-has-judged-good-for-us-that-he-has-not/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“How strangely distributed are our scruples. When they are evenly spread across our lives, we are judged good people. Mine, unfortunately, tend to bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-phillips/how-strangely-distributed-are-our-scruples-when-they-are-evenly/) [Arthur Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-phillips/) > [“For an action to be judged good by God, it must fulfill two primary requirements. The first is that the action must correspond outwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/for-an-action-to-be-judged-good-by-god-it-must-fulfill-two-primary/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## More by Tacitus > [Benefits received are a delight to us as long as we think we can requite them; when that possibility is far exceeded, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/benefits-received-are-a-delight-to-us-as-long-as-we-think-we-can/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Rumor does not always err; it sometimes even elects a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/rumor-does-not-always-err-it-sometimes-even-elects-a-man/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [ None mourn more ostentatiously than those who most rejoice at it \[a death\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/none-mourn-more-ostentatiously-than-those-who-most-rejoice-at-it-a/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [So true is it that all transactions of preeminent importance are wrapt in doubt and obscurity; while some hold for certain facts the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/so-true-is-it-that-all-transactions-of-preeminent-importance-are/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Be assured those will be thy worst enemies, not to whom thou hast done evil, but who have done evil to thee. And those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/be-assured-those-will-be-thy-worst-enemies-not-to-whom-thou-hast-done/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Christianity is a pestilent superstition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/christianity-is-a-pestilent-superstition/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Indeed, the crowning proof of their valour and their strength is that they keep up their superiority without harm to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/indeed-the-crowning-proof-of-their-valour-and-their-strength-is-that/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/formerly-we-suffered-from-crimes-now-we-suffer-from-laws/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [ None mourn more ostentatiously over the death of Germanicus than those who most rejoice at it \[a death\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/none-mourn-more-ostentatiously-over-the-death-of-germanicus-than/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Once killing starts, it is difficult to draw the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/once-killing-starts-it-is-difficult-to-draw-the-line/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [The lust of dominion burns with a flame so fierce as to overpower all other affections of the human breast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/the-lust-of-dominion-burns-with-a-flame-so-fierce-as-to-overpower-all/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [“It is a principle of nature to hate those whom you have injured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-a-principle-of-nature-to-hate-those-whom-you-have-injured/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Kindness, so far as we can return it, is agreeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/kindness-so-far-as-we-can-return-it-is-agreeable/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Posterity gives every man his true value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/posterity-gives-every-man-his-true-value/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [The most detestable race of enemies are flatterers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/the-most-detestable-race-of-enemies-are-flatterers/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) [Explore all 227 Tacitus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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