--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know that every good and excellent…" description: "\"I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for.\" — Thornton Wilder" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg" --- # I know that every good and excellent thing in the world… ![“I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for.” quote by Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg) > “I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for.” [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great achievements are precarious, constantly threatened, and must be defended through effort. **In simple terms:** Good things are always on the brink of danger. Key Takeaway Protect and nurture what you value. Themes courage fragility effort Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal goals - social movements - artistic creation - environmental activism Key Concepts existential risk human perseverance Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to fight for? - How do you balance risk and reward? A Different Perspective Not all danger can be eliminated; some risks are inherent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Every good thing in the world stands on the razor-edge of danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/every-good-thing-in-the-world-stands-on-the-razor-edge-of-danger/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I've never forgotten for long at a time that living is struggle. I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-ve-never-forgotten-for-long-at-a-time-that-living-is-struggle-i/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moment of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mharwhyn/the-ultimate-measure-of-a-man-is-not-where-he-stands-in-moment-of/) MHARWHYN > [“Dark books say to us, “This isn’t about you. You are in fact alive and safe.” Yes, there’s an implicit and unavoidable warning, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-paul/dark-books-say-to-us-this-isn-t-about-you-you-are-in-fact-alive-and/) [Pamela Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-paul/) > [I like the edge of danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vittorio-grigolo/i-like-the-edge-of-danger/) [Vittorio Grigolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vittorio-grigolo/) > [The world stands on absurdities, and without them perhaps nothing at all would happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-stands-on-absurdities-and-without-them-perhaps-nothing-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world stands out on either side, No wider than the heart is wide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/the-world-stands-out-on-either-side-no-wider-than-the-heart-is-wide/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“I now understand when people say the world stands still. Everything stops, yet I am aware of the activity around us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ibbotson/i-now-understand-when-people-say-the-world-stands-still-everything/) Julia Ibbotson > [“You see, the point is that the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/you-see-the-point-is-that-the-strongest-man-in-the-world-is-he-who/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [To look away from the world, or to stare at it, does not help a man to reach God; but he who sees the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/to-look-away-from-the-world-or-to-stare-at-it-does-not-help-a-man-to/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [The strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-strongest-man-in-the-world-is-he-who-stands-most-alone/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“Three little words. My world stands still, tilts, then spins on a new axis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/three-little-words-my-world-stands-still-tilts-then-spins-on-a-new/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [The most strongest man in the world...is He, who stands alone!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreyan/the-most-strongest-man-in-the-world-is-he-who-stands-alone/) Shreyan > [The world stands on the strength of principles. the world will end, if principles end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-world-stands-on-the-strength-of-principles-the-world-will-end-if/) Mak\_786 > [“The world stands still in the moments that I am watching you, watching me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/the-world-stands-still-in-the-moments-that-i-am-watching-you-watching/) Truth Devour ## More by Thornton Wilder > [“He respected the slight nervous shadow that crossed her face when he came too near her. But there arose out of this denial itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/he-respected-the-slight-nervous-shadow-that-crossed-her-face-when-he/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/when-you-re-safe-at-home-you-wish-you-were-having-an-adventure-when/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Simon Stimson: "...That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down trampling on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/simon-stimson-that-s-what-it-was-to-be-alive-to-move-about-in-a-cloud/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Love as education is one of the great powers of the world, but it hangs in a delicate suspension; it achieves its harmony as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/love-as-education-is-one-of-the-great-powers-of-the-world-but-it/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Many great writers have been extraordinarily awkward in daily exchange, but the greatest give the impression that their style was nursed by the closest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/many-great-writers-have-been-extraordinarily-awkward-in-daily/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [A man looks pretty small at a wedding, George. All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder, making sure that the knot's tied in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/a-man-looks-pretty-small-at-a-wedding-george-all-those-good-women/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [The knowledge that she would never be loved in return acted upon her ideas as a tide acts upon cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/the-knowledge-that-she-would-never-be-loved-in-return-acted-upon-her/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“But while they continued staring into one another’s face waiting for the miracle of science the pain grew worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/but-while-they-continued-staring-into-one-another-s-face-waiting-for/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I am convinced that, except in a few extraordinary cases, one form or another of an unhappy childhood is essential to the formation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-am-convinced-that-except-in-a-few-extraordinary-cases-one-form-or/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Many who have spent a lifetime in it can tell us less of love than the child that lost a dog yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/many-who-have-spent-a-lifetime-in-it-can-tell-us-less-of-love-than/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Cesar is not a philosophical man. His life has been one long flight from reflection. At least he is clever enough not to expose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/cesar-is-not-a-philosophical-man-his-life-has-been-one-long-flight/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Every person who has ever lived has lived an unbroken succession of unique occasions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/every-person-who-has-ever-lived-has-lived-an-unbroken-succession-of/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/without-your-wounds-where-would-your-power-be-it-is-your-melancholy/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Ninety-nine per cent of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-the-people-in-the-world-are-fools-and-the/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [There's nothing like mixing with woman to bring out all the foolishness in a man of sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/there-s-nothing-like-mixing-with-woman-to-bring-out-all-the/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) [Explore all 232 Thornton Wilder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## More Danger quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. 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No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“I’ll always come back to you,” he said. “Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/i-ll-always-come-back-to-you-he-said-always/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [A sea setting us upon the ice has brought us close to danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hudson/a-sea-setting-us-upon-the-ice-has-brought-us-close-to-danger/) [Henry Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hudson/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) [Browse all 5,463 Danger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thornton Wilder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thing-in-the-world-stands-moment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Danger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thing-in-the-world-stands-moment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/thornton-wilder-1495_danger_i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thi_1333482.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger…” — Thornton Wilder", "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": "Thornton Wilder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know that every good and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thing-in-the-world-stands-moment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-know-that-every-good-and-excellent-thing-in-the-world-stands-moment/#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 } } ] } ```