--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't have a right to ask whether…" description: "\"We don't have a right to ask whether we're going to succeed or not. The only question we have a right to ask is what's the right thing to do? What does..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg" --- # We don't have a right to ask whether we're going to… ![“We don't have a right to ask whether we're going to succeed or not. The only question we have a right to ask is what's the right thing to do? What does this earth require of us if we want to continue to live on it?” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg) > “We don't have a right to ask whether we're going to succeed or not. The only question we have a right to ask is what's the right thing to do? What does this earth require of us if we want to continue to live on it?” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We lack the right to demand success, only the right to act responsibly toward the planet’s needs for sustainable living. **In simple terms:** We can’t demand success, only responsible action. Key Takeaway Act responsibly for Earth’s future. Themes responsibility environment ethics Mood reflective serious Type ethical environmental When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - personal lifestyle choices Key Concepts sustainability stewardship Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do you have toward the environment? - How can you align personal success with ecological stewardship? A Different Perspective Success is not guaranteed; responsibility may conflict with personal goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) ## Related quotes > [Women do not like the question, why? Because he is only right to ask question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/women-do-not-like-the-question-why-because-he-is-only-right-to-ask/) Mak\_786 > [“Don't ask yourself, "Who's Right?" Ask yourself, "Do I like being treated this way?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-stern/don-t-ask-yourself-who-s-right-ask-yourself-do-i-like-being-treated/) [Robin Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-stern/) > [I always question whether it's the right time for anything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/i-always-question-whether-it-s-the-right-time-for-anything-i-do/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [If you get the question right, if you really define it, then the answers are just sitting there waiting for you. And it's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/if-you-get-the-question-right-if-you-really-define-it-then-the/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Sometimes the closest-held secrets in the world can be pried out by the right question at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/sometimes-the-closest-held-secrets-in-the-world-can-be-pried-out-by/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [You have to trust your instincts and know that the right question or the right answer will come to you. You don’t always have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/you-have-to-trust-your-instincts-and-know-that-the-right-question-or/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [The Department of Justice is committed to asking one central question of everything we do: What is the right thing to do? Now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/the-department-of-justice-is-committed-to-asking-one-central-question/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [The question is not whether you have a right to render people miserable, but whether it is not in your best interest to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-question-is-not-whether-you-have-a-right-to-render-people/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [What's wrong vs Right with you It's not a question of what's wrong with you, it's a question of what's right with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-duncan/what-s-wrong-vs-right-with-you-it-s-not-a-question-of-what-s-wrong/) [Al Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-duncan/) > [Honesty is a question of right and wrong, not a matter of policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/honesty-is-a-question-of-right-and-wrong-not-a-matter-of-policy/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [To see what is right and not to do it is cowardice. It is never a question of who is right but what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/to-see-what-is-right-and-not-to-do-it-is-cowardice-it-is-never-a/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [I have been asked this question over and over again: 'Dr. Jeremiah, do you think God is finished with America?' But that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/i-have-been-asked-this-question-over-and-over-again-dr-jeremiah-do/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [The question of who is right and who is wrong has seemed to me always too small to be worth a moment's thought, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/the-question-of-who-is-right-and-who-is-wrong-has-seemed-to-me-always/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [When you get your,'Who am I?', question right, all of your,'What should I do?' questions tend to take care of themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/when-you-get-your-who-am-i-question-right-all-of-your-what-should-i/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [If you do something right once, someone will ask you to do it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/if-you-do-something-right-once-someone-will-ask-you-to-do-it-again/) Azgraybebly Joslan ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The two families, sundered in the ruin of a friendship, were united again first in new friendship and then in mariage. My grandfather made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-two-families-sundered-in-the-ruin-of-a-friendship-were-united/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't have a right to ask whether we're going to succeed or not. The only question we have a right to ask is what's the right thing to do? What does this earth require of us if we want to continue to live on it?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wendell Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we-re-going-to-succeed-or-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we-re-going-to-succeed-or-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/wendell-berry-236_asks_we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we_3161231.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We don't have a right to ask whether we're going to succeed or not. The only question we have a right to ask…” — Wendell Berry", "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": "Wendell Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We don't have a right to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we-re-going-to-succeed-or-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-don-t-have-a-right-to-ask-whether-we-re-going-to-succeed-or-not/#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 } } ] } ```