---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've got to have rules and obey them…"
description: "\"“We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English; and the English are the best at everything. So we've got to do the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/william-golding-1233_obey_we-ve-got-to-have-rules-and-obey-them-af_1479238.png"
---

#  We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're…

![“We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English; and the English are the best at everything. So we've got to do the right things” quote by William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/william-golding-1233_obey_we-ve-got-to-have-rules-and-obey-them-af_1479238.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/william-golding-1233_obey_we-ve-got-to-have-rules-and-obey-them-af_1479238.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/william-golding-1233_obey_we-ve-got-to-have-rules-and-obey-them-af_1479238.png)

> ““We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English; and the English are the best at everything. So we've got to do the right things””

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Rules are presented as a civilizing force, yet the speaker’s nationalism and superiority reveal underlying arrogance.

**In simple terms:** Rules are used to assert cultural superiority, not just order.

Key Takeaway

Question the motives behind imposed rules.

Themes

authority nationalism civilization pride

Mood

critical analytical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- education
- government policy
- team management
- social movements

Key Concepts

political theory social dynamics colonialism

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we accept rules without examining their origins?
- How does nationalism shape our view of “right” behavior?

A Different Perspective

Blind adherence can suppress critical thinking and perpetuate bias.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/we-ve-got-to-have-rules-and-obey-them-after-all-we-re-not-savages-we-2/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/we-ve-got-to-have-rules-and-obey-them-after-all-we-re-not-savages/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [The English, the English, The English are best: So Up with the English and Down with the Rest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flanders/the-english-the-english-the-english-are-best-so-up-with-the-english/)

[Michael Flanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flanders/)

> [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [“Personally I like the English style better. It is not quite so brittle, and the people as a rule, just wear clothes and drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/personally-i-like-the-english-style-better-it-is-not-quite-so-brittle/)

[Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/)

> [I really like writing in English, and it's the best job I've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-zink/i-really-like-writing-in-english-and-it-s-the-best-job-i-ve-ever-had/)

[Nell Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-zink/)

> [“Every game has rules. Obey the rules, win the game; disobey the rule, lose it! The game of life has loser and winners. Play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-obey-the-rules-win-the-game-disobey-the-rule/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [I spend more time learning about Buddhism than English, which is why my English today is still bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-spend-more-time-learning-about-buddhism-than-english-which-is-why/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I'm English, without a doubt. I will never ever say I'm not English. English born and bred. I'm Turkish, though](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-kazim-richards/i-m-english-without-a-doubt-i-will-never-ever-say-i-m-not-english/)

[Colin Kazim-Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-kazim-richards/)

> [“In all religions, as in all legal systems. people find ways to skirt the rules. We obey the letter of the law without honoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/in-all-religions-as-in-all-legal-systems-people-find-ways-to-skirt/)

[Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/)

> [“I am more English than the English.- Rudolf de Vitt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-williams/i-am-more-english-than-the-english-rudolf-de-vitt/)

[Kate Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-williams/)

> [English is English, no matter what accent you speak it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shehnaaz-gill/english-is-english-no-matter-what-accent-you-speak-it-in/)

[Shehnaaz Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shehnaaz-gill/)

> [“9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/9but-if-you-return-to-me-and-obey-my-commands-then-even-if-your/)

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

> [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

## More by William Golding

> [Heaven lies around us in our infancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/heaven-lies-around-us-in-our-infancy/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“Sucks to your ass-mar!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/sucks-to-your-ass-mar/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/ralph-wept-for-the-end-of-innocence-the-darkness-of-man-s-heart-and/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“Once more, amid the breeze, the shouting, the slanting sunlight on the high mountain, was shed that glamour, that strange invisible light of friendship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/once-more-amid-the-breeze-the-shouting-the-slanting-sunlight-on-the/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“There ought to be some mode of life where all love is good, where one love can't compete with another but adds to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/there-ought-to-be-some-mode-of-life-where-all-love-is-good-where-one/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/his-mind-was-crowded-with-memories-memories-of-the-knowledge-that-had/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“I stood, in shame and confusion, seeing for the first time despite my anger a different picture of Evie in her life-long struggle to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/i-stood-in-shame-and-confusion-seeing-for-the-first-time-despite-my/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [When you take a child who's hollering like hell, sit him on your knee, and say "once upon a time", you stop him hollering.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/when-you-take-a-child-who-s-hollering-like-hell-sit-him-on-your-knee/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [I am here; and here is nowhere in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/i-am-here-and-here-is-nowhere-in-particular/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/the-beast-was-harmless-and-horrible-and-the-news-must-reach-the/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/he-tried-to-convey-the-compulsion-to-track-down-and-kill-that-was/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [I'm scared of him," said Piggy, "and that's why I know him. If you're scared of someone you hate him but you can't stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/i-m-scared-of-him-said-piggy-and-that-s-why-i-know-him-if-you-re/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think, you had to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/the-trouble-was-if-you-were-a-chief-you-had-to-think-you-had-to-be/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“But nobody else understands about the fire. If someone threw you a rope when you were drowning. If a doctor said take this because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/but-nobody-else-understands-about-the-fire-if-someone-threw-you-a/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“I think women are foolish to pretend that they are equal to men, they are far superior and always have been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/i-think-women-are-foolish-to-pretend-that-they-are-equal-to-men-they/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

[Explore all 263 William Golding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

## More Obey quotes

> [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [“9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/9but-if-you-return-to-me-and-obey-my-commands-then-even-if-your/)

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> [“God uses one whom others would have passed over without a second glance. The history of obedience to the Great Commission is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/god-uses-one-whom-others-would-have-passed-over-without-a-second/)

[Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/)

> [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [“It’s not the room that commands obedience. It’s not the props, or the décor. It’s not the fear of any piece of equipment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-luke/it-s-not-the-room-that-commands-obedience-it-s-not-the-props-or-the-d/)

[Jason Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-luke/)

> [The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-little-things-i-can-obey-but-the-big-things-how-we-think-what-we/)

[Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/)

> [“I could insist that somebody take me to her so I can obey her orders." "I think you might choke on that one, Zakath,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/i-could-insist-that-somebody-take-me-to-her-so-i-can-obey-her-orders/)

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[Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/)

> [No obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-obstacles-are-insurmountable-when-god-commands-and-we-obey/)

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

> [“Knowledge is not necessary for obedience, nor doth information replace faith. El hast commanded. We shall obey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-m-neal/knowledge-is-not-necessary-for-obedience-nor-doth-information-replace/)

Donovan M. Neal

> [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/)

[John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/)

> [Woman's great mission is to train immature, weak and ignorant creatures to obey the laws of God; the physical, the intellectual, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/woman-s-great-mission-is-to-train-immature-weak-and-ignorant/)

[Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/)

> [All reform aims, in some one particular, to let the soul have its way through us; in other words, to engage us to obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/all-reform-aims-in-some-one-particular-to-let-the-soul-have-its-way/)

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Browse all 512 Obey quotes

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