---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There’s no greys, only white that’s got…"
description: "\"“There’s no greys, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including y..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/terry-pratchett-19_complicated_there-s-no-greys-only-white-that-s-got-g_3223296.jpg"
---

#  There’s no greys, only white that’s got grubby. I’m…

![“There’s no greys, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.’ ‘It’s a lot more complicated than that -’ ‘No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/terry-pratchett-19_complicated_there-s-no-greys-only-white-that-s-got-g_3223296.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/terry-pratchett-19_complicated_there-s-no-greys-only-white-that-s-got-g_3223296.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f3/terry-pratchett-19_complicated_there-s-no-greys-only-white-that-s-got-g_3223296.jpg)

> ““There’s no greys, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.’ ‘It’s a lot more complicated than that -’ ‘No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.””

[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.

Treating beings as objects dehumanizes them and is morally wrong; recognizing humanity in all avoids sin.

**In simple terms:** Seeing people as objects is sinful.

Key Takeaway

Respect every person’s humanity.

Themes

ethics humanity morality

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- social interactions
- workplace
- personal relationships
- education

Key Concepts

dehumanization objectification sin

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you recognize humanity in those you find difficult?
- What habits help you avoid objectifying others?

A Different Perspective

People may resist seeing others as fully human due to fear or bias.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Complicated Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated-means-2634743/) [Including Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including-sin-4859785/) [Know Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-sin-667971/) [People say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-say/) [Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinner/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/)

## Related quotes

> [“Sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sin-young-man-is-when-you-treat-people-like-things-including-yourself/)

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> [When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/when-people-say-things-are-a-lot-more-complicated-than-that-they/)

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> [Saying a relationship is complicated means nothing, normally they're heaps simple but you just don't wanna talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/saying-a-relationship-is-complicated-means-nothing-normally-they-re/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The mere fact that she says her relationship is "complicated" means that she already has something difficult to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-mere-fact-that-she-says-her-relationship-is-complicated-means/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I want to know what it is, this 'sin' they say I've committed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jun-mochizuki/i-want-to-know-what-it-is-this-sin-they-say-i-ve-committed/)

[Jun Mochizuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jun-mochizuki/)

> [“In verse 12 Paul makes the general point that God judges people by what they know, not by what they do not know Hence:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/in-verse-12-paul-makes-the-general-point-that-god-judges-people-by/)

[D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/)

> [I know what sin is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-bardot/i-know-what-sin-is/)

[Brigitte Bardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-bardot/)

> [“It’s impossible to know what sin is if we don’t know what God says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacquelle-crowe/it-s-impossible-to-know-what-sin-is-if-we-don-t-know-what-god-says/)

[Jacquelle Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacquelle-crowe/)

> [I felt like an animal, and animals don't know sin, do they?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-c-scott/i-felt-like-an-animal-and-animals-don-t-know-sin-do-they/)

[Jess C Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-c-scott/)

> [When a person is carrying their sin, it can be quite a load...I don't know what else to do with your sin but confess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/when-a-person-is-carrying-their-sin-it-can-be-quite-a-load-i-don-t/)

[Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/)

> [I know that we sin but I do believe we try, we all try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/i-know-that-we-sin-but-i-do-believe-we-try-we-all-try/)

[Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/)

> [I would rather die than do something which I know to be a sin, or to be against God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-of-arc/i-would-rather-die-than-do-something-which-i-know-to-be-a-sin-or-to/)

[Joan of Arc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-of-arc/)

> [I just don't believe we're wicked, I know that we sin but I do believe that we try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/i-just-don-t-believe-we-re-wicked-i-know-that-we-sin-but-i-do-believe/)

[Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/)

> [“Sienna frowned. “Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.” Langdon was impressed. “You know Latin.” “I grew up Catholic. I know sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/sienna-frowned-pride-greed-lust-envy-gluttony-wrath-and-sloth-langdon/)

[Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/)

> [A policeman must know everything - and not tell. He must know where all the sin is and not partake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/a-policeman-must-know-everything-and-not-tell-he-must-know-where-all/)

[Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/)

## 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/)

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> [“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/)

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> [“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/)

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> [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/)

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> [“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/)

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> [“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/)

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> [“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/)

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> [“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 Complicated quotes

> [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/)

[Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin/)

> [“Why the hell did he have to be so complicated? One minute he was charming, the next he withdrew behind his internal walls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-davis/why-the-hell-did-he-have-to-be-so-complicated-one-minute-he-was/)

[Lia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-davis/)

> [Life is more complicated than we think, yet far simpler than anyone dares to imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/life-is-more-complicated-than-we-think-yet-far-simpler-than-anyone/)

[Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/)

> [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/)

[James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/)

> [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

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> [“Just because it's complicated, just because you think you can't ever know everything about another person, it doesn't mean you can't try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-semple/just-because-it-s-complicated-just-because-you-think-you-can-t-ever/)

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> [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/)

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> [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/)

[Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/)

> [Your Starbucks order is directly proportional to how complicated your personality is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin/your-starbucks-order-is-directly-proportional-to-how-complicated-your/)

[Kevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin/)

> [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics-when-united-with-it-sometimes/)

[Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/)

> [I have learned so much from my dad. Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned from my dad is how to be prepared at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/i-have-learned-so-much-from-my-dad-perhaps-the-biggest-thing-i-ve/)

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> [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/)

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> [ The parts of the \[Civil Right\] Movement we recognize so well now were not born from a single decision, but were a complicated and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/the-parts-of-the-civil-right-movement-we-recognize-so-well-now-were/)

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> [Two people could build an outhouse in four hours. They're not complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-maxwell/two-people-could-build-an-outhouse-in-four-hours-they-re-not/)

[Robert Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-maxwell/)

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