--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better to see the dangers in the world…" description: "\"“Better to see the dangers in the world and be ready when someone inevitably turns on you. It is a far preferable surprise to find that a person is kin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-goodkind-924_traitor_better-to-see-the-dangers-in-the-world-a_816362.jpg" --- # Better to see the dangers in the world and be ready when… ![“Better to see the dangers in the world and be ready when someone inevitably turns on you. It is a far preferable surprise to find that a person is kinder than you think, than to discover he is secretly a traitor.” quote by Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-goodkind-924_traitor_better-to-see-the-dangers-in-the-world-a_816362.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-goodkind-924_traitor_better-to-see-the-dangers-in-the-world-a_816362.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-goodkind-924_traitor_better-to-see-the-dangers-in-the-world-a_816362.jpg) > ““Better to see the dangers in the world and be ready when someone inevitably turns on you. It is a far preferable surprise to find that a person is kinder than you think, than to discover he is secretly a traitor.”” [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being prepared for betrayal is wiser than being surprised by unexpected kindness; vigilance outweighs naive trust. **In simple terms:** Stay alert to potential betrayal rather than hoping for kindness. Key Takeaway Prioritize vigilance over unrealistic expectations. Themes trust betrayal preparedness Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - business negotiations - political alliances Key Concepts risk assessment human nature Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to give trust a chance? - How can you balance vigilance with openness? A Different Perspective Over‑cautiousness can erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Dangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-dangers-325716/) [Preferable Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preferable-surprise-325717/) [Secretly Traitor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretly-traitor-325715/) [Surprise Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise-person-325718/) [Traitor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traitor/) ## Related quotes > [Be transparent about why the termination is happening. If you did things right, it shouldn't be a surprise to the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/be-transparent-about-why-the-termination-is-happening-if-you-did/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [To question me onceis a simple mistake, Lieutenant. Twice is treason. We execute traitors.-Kahlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/to-question-me-onceis-a-simple-mistake-lieutenant-twice-is-treason-we/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Magnus Bane. The Ultimate Traitor. Not my favorite nickname. I prefer, "Our Lord and Master" or maybe "Unambiguously the Hottest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/magnus-bane-the-ultimate-traitor-not-my-favorite-nickname-i-prefer/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I'm the thing that the ISI fears the most. The spy who becomes a traitor willingly and embraces everything he's been trained to destroy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid-muhammad/i-m-the-thing-that-the-isi-fears-the-most-the-spy-who-becomes-a/) [Khalid Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid-muhammad/) > [“To save our dying earth, any government which is not environmentalist must go because on earth there are thousands of governments but there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/to-save-our-dying-earth-any-government-which-is-not-environmentalist/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I shall not lie!" Eilonwy cried, "not for this traitor and deserter." "It is not for him," Taran said quietly, "but for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-shall-not-lie-eilonwy-cried-not-for-this-traitor-and-deserter-it-is/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [But Time is a great traitor who teaches us to accept loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-borton-de-trevino/but-time-is-a-great-traitor-who-teaches-us-to-accept-loss/) [Elizabeth Borton de Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-borton-de-trevino/) > [This time we'll hate, alright - but we'll hate the enemy - the vicious gang of colored scum attackers and Jewish-Communist traitors - rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lincoln-rockwell/this-time-we-ll-hate-alright-but-we-ll-hate-the-enemy-the-vicious/) [George Lincoln Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lincoln-rockwell/) > [When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty.We need to execute people like John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/when-contemplating-college-liberals-you-really-regret-once-again-that/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Treason and murder ever kept together, As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, Working so grossly in a natural cause That admiration did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/treason-and-murder-ever-kept-together-as-two-yoke-devils-sworn-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Whistleblowers is another aspect that needs to be addressed. We have to restore the protections of whistleblowers and also the encouragement and rewards. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/whistleblowers-is-another-aspect-that-needs-to-be-addressed-we-have/) [Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/) > [I would be a traitor to these poor burned bodies if I came here to talk good fellowship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-schneiderman/i-would-be-a-traitor-to-these-poor-burned-bodies-if-i-came-here-to/) [Rose Schneiderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-schneiderman/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Less of me and all I'm trying to be. Building my kingdom just to find it so short of your glory I'm a traitor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zion-y-lennox/less-of-me-and-all-i-m-trying-to-be-building-my-kingdom-just-to-find/) [Zion Y Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zion-y-lennox/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## More by Terry Goodkind > [Sometimes, it is necessary to step beyond what you have known and to reach for something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-step-beyond-what-you-have-known-and-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“It should hurt, shouldn’t it? Shouldn’t it hurt to be ripped in half? But it didn’t. It didn’t hurt the least little bit. Cold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/it-should-hurt-shouldn-t-it-shouldn-t-it-hurt-to-be-ripped-in-half/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Dancing with death meant being committed to killing, committed with your heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/dancing-with-death-meant-being-committed-to-killing-committed-with/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Sometimes it's more important to seize the chance and do what you can even knowing that it won't likely account for everything, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-s-more-important-to-seize-the-chance-and-do-what-you-can/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“While it was understandable to be afraid, and no one would expect you not to be, the worst thing you could do was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/while-it-was-understandable-to-be-afraid-and-no-one-would-expect-you/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Leadership is a nurturing of those under your command.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/leadership-is-a-nurturing-of-those-under-your-command/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“To question me once is a simple mistake, Lieutenant. Twice is treason. We execute traitors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/to-question-me-once-is-a-simple-mistake-lieutenant-twice-is-treason/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Fate does not seek our consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/fate-does-not-seek-our-consent/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Wizard's Third Rule Passion rules reason, For better or for worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/wizard-s-third-rule-passion-rules-reason-for-better-or-for-worse/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Nicci looked up at Kahlan. “Knives are not my talent.” “It’s not hard,” Kahlan said as she pressed the handle into Nicci’s hand. “When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/nicci-looked-up-at-kahlan-knives-are-not-my-talent-it-s-not-hard/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“This was why he couldn’t let Richard know it was the chimes themselves that were loose. Richard would not have accepted what Zedd intended,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/this-was-why-he-couldn-t-let-richard-know-it-was-the-chimes/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“price. There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil, least of all in people. In the best of us there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/price-there-is-no-such-thing-as-pure-good-or-pure-evil-least-of-all/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [The first step to believing something is true is wanting to believe it is true... or being afraid it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-first-step-to-believing-something-is-true-is-wanting-to-believe/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [...you'll find that being a friend is to like a person for who they are, even the parts you don't understand. You don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/you-ll-find-that-being-a-friend-is-to-like-a-person-for-who-they-are/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) [Explore all 323 Terry Goodkind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## More Traitor quotes > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Less of me and all I'm trying to be. Building my kingdom just to find it so short of your glory I'm a traitor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zion-y-lennox/less-of-me-and-all-i-m-trying-to-be-building-my-kingdom-just-to-find/) [Zion Y Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zion-y-lennox/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [I would be a traitor to these poor burned bodies if I came here to talk good fellowship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-schneiderman/i-would-be-a-traitor-to-these-poor-burned-bodies-if-i-came-here-to/) [Rose Schneiderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-schneiderman/) > [Whistleblowers is another aspect that needs to be addressed. We have to restore the protections of whistleblowers and also the encouragement and rewards. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/whistleblowers-is-another-aspect-that-needs-to-be-addressed-we-have/) [Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/) > [Treason and murder ever kept together, As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, Working so grossly in a natural cause That admiration did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/treason-and-murder-ever-kept-together-as-two-yoke-devils-sworn-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty.We need to execute people like John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/when-contemplating-college-liberals-you-really-regret-once-again-that/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [This time we'll hate, alright - but we'll hate the enemy - the vicious gang of colored scum attackers and Jewish-Communist traitors - rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lincoln-rockwell/this-time-we-ll-hate-alright-but-we-ll-hate-the-enemy-the-vicious/) [George Lincoln Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lincoln-rockwell/) > [But Time is a great traitor who teaches us to accept loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-borton-de-trevino/but-time-is-a-great-traitor-who-teaches-us-to-accept-loss/) [Elizabeth Borton de Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-borton-de-trevino/) > [“I shall not lie!" Eilonwy cried, "not for this traitor and deserter." "It is not for him," Taran said quietly, "but for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-shall-not-lie-eilonwy-cried-not-for-this-traitor-and-deserter-it-is/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“To save our dying earth, any government which is not environmentalist must go because on earth there are thousands of governments but there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/to-save-our-dying-earth-any-government-which-is-not-environmentalist/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I'm the thing that the ISI fears the most. The spy who becomes a traitor willingly and embraces everything he's been trained to destroy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid-muhammad/i-m-the-thing-that-the-isi-fears-the-most-the-spy-who-becomes-a/) [Khalid Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid-muhammad/) > [“Magnus Bane. The Ultimate Traitor. Not my favorite nickname. I prefer, "Our Lord and Master" or maybe "Unambiguously the Hottest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/magnus-bane-the-ultimate-traitor-not-my-favorite-nickname-i-prefer/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every person a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/so-long-as-the-millions-live-in-hunger-and-ignorance-i-hold-every/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The man who tries to make the flag an object of a single party is a greater traitor to that flag than any man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd-george/the-man-who-tries-to-make-the-flag-an-object-of-a-single-party-is-a/) [David Lloyd George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd-george/) [Browse all 386 Traitor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traitor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Better to see the dangers in the world and be ready when someone inevitably turns on you. 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