--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was much better to imagine men in some…" description: "\"“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-pratchett-19_bad-thing_it-was-much-better-to-imagine-men-in-som_2791666.jpg" --- # It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room… ![“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-pratchett-19_bad-thing_it-was-much-better-to-imagine-men-in-som_2791666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-pratchett-19_bad-thing_it-was-much-better-to-imagine-men-in-som_2791666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/terry-pratchett-19_bad-thing_it-was-much-better-to-imagine-men-in-som_2791666.jpg) > ““It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People blame external groups to avoid confronting ordinary capacity for evil; recognizing “Us” as capable of harm is unsettling. **In simple terms:** We often blame others to avoid guilt. Key Takeaway Acknowledge shared responsibility for wrongdoing. Themes morality psychology social perception Mood somber provocative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - policy making - conflict resolution Key Concepts blame shifting collective guilt human nature Questions to Reflect On - What biases affect your judgment? - How can societies foster collective accountability? A Different Perspective Denial can hinder accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Bed time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-time/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“It was because he wanted there to be conspirators. It was much better to imagine men in some smoky room somewhere, made mad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-because-he-wanted-there-to-be-conspirators-it-was-much-better/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-so-much-easier-to-blame-it-on-them-it-was-bleakly-depressing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“It's a lot easier to blame someone else when things go wrong than it is when your decisions have terrible consequences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thiede/it-s-a-lot-easier-to-blame-someone-else-when-things-go-wrong-than-it/) Emily Thiede > [So, your saying choices and destiny shape the course of our lives? "I think so, yes. It's just easier to blame fate for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/so-your-saying-choices-and-destiny-shape-the-course-of-our-lives-i/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“It's easier to blame the Chupacabras, than to admit that the goats died because you spit in the face of those who fed them,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estibaliz-delgado-amaya/it-s-easier-to-blame-the-chupacabras-than-to-admit-that-the-goats/) Estibaliz Delgado Amaya > [The fact is the planet is warming right now, and it is easier to blame it on some human activity rather than saying we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-ross/the-fact-is-the-planet-is-warming-right-now-and-it-is-easier-to-blame/) [Hugh Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-ross/) > [It's easier to blame the person with less power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/it-s-easier-to-blame-the-person-with-less-power/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“The situation was a mess. It's way easier when you have someone to blame. We want a victim and a villain and a simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-juby/the-situation-was-a-mess-it-s-way-easier-when-you-have-someone-to/) [Susan Juby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-juby/) > [Life was so much easier when I could blame every bad decision on being a teenager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-was-so-much-easier-when-i-could-blame-every-bad-decision-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Progress just means bad things happen faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/progress-just-means-bad-things-happen-faster/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Why and how do bad things happen. They happen because you let them happen and you're never on the watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/why-and-how-do-bad-things-happen-they-happen-because-you-let-them/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [Prostitution is criminal, and bad things happen because it's run illegally by dirt-bags who are criminals. If it's legal, then the girls could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/prostitution-is-criminal-and-bad-things-happen-because-it-s-run/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [“Over the years, I have developed a visceral reaction to families and victims expressing surprise at tragedy. Why are we surprised? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/over-the-years-i-have-developed-a-visceral-reaction-to-families-and/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“My dad told me that God allows people to make their own choices and doesn’t override their free will. That is why bad things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-lord/my-dad-told-me-that-god-allows-people-to-make-their-own-choices-and/) [J. W. Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-lord/) > [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/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [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/) > [I think the people I talk about are generally so stupid that they don't even know I'm saying bad things about them. I've run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-think-the-people-i-talk-about-are-generally-so-stupid-that-they-don/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [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/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I've heard some pretty bad things in my life. I'm just one of those people I've gotten to a point where I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-ve-heard-some-pretty-bad-things-in-my-life-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my business, you should be very strong in mind. You have to be sure about yourself and about your work and your career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-shayk/in-my-business-you-should-be-very-strong-in-mind-you-have-to-be-sure/) [Irina Shayk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-shayk/) > [“I don’t know why I latched onto the idea of being friends, but it sits right with my gut. I want Hartley in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-watt/i-don-t-know-why-i-latched-onto-the-idea-of-being-friends-but-it-sits/) [Erin Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-watt/) > [I'm just grateful to people who are willing to admit how bad things feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-just-grateful-to-people-who-are-willing-to-admit-how-bad-things/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [“Dear Delphine, When you are older I want you to find Chinua Achebe. I want you to read Things Fall Apart. Don't be hardheaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-williams-garcia/dear-delphine-when-you-are-older-i-want-you-to-find-chinua-achebe-i/) [Rita Williams-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-williams-garcia/) > [Lobbying is not a bad thing. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't have lobbyists or we shouldn't have lobbying to petition our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/lobbying-is-not-a-bad-thing-i-m-not-trying-to-say-that-we-shouldn-t/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [In life, we don't know why things happen. I believe God is not responsible for the bad things that happen to you. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) Browse all 2,889 Bad thing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bed time stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people. It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, then what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. 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