--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should NOT try to change other…" description: "\"“We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against their wills, and we should not inflict our systems on others if such infliction results in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg" --- # We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against… ![“We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against their wills, and we should not inflict our systems on others if such infliction results in the harm of another human being.” quote by Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg) > ““We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against their wills, and we should not inflict our systems on others if such infliction results in the harm of another human being.”” [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imposing systems on others against their will causes harm and should be avoided. **In simple terms:** Respect autonomy, avoid imposing systems. Key Takeaway Promote consent and respect. Themes ethics autonomy human rights Mood concerned determined Type ethical political When to use this quote - international aid - policy making - education Key Concepts moral philosophy social justice cultural relativism Questions to Reflect On - How to balance aid with respect? - When is intervention justified? A Different Perspective Complexities arise when cultural norms clash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change Peoples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-peoples-643734/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Harm Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm-human-907517/) [Inflict Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inflict-systems-5143253/) [Systems Infliction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systems-infliction-5143252/) ## Related quotes > [Man is an organism, not a mechanism; and the mechanical pacing of his life does harm to his human responses, which naturally follow a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/man-is-an-organism-not-a-mechanism-and-the-mechanical-pacing-of-his/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [The human race has susceptibility to harm but Mr. Zuckerberg has attained an unenviable record: he has done more harm to the human race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eben-moglen/the-human-race-has-susceptibility-to-harm-but-mr-zuckerberg-has/) [Eben Moglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eben-moglen/) > [To willfully harm another human being goes against everything I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lari-white/to-willfully-harm-another-human-being-goes-against-everything-i/) [Lari White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lari-white/) > [You don't change peoples mind by the words you speak, you inspire change in their hearts by the life you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-change-peoples-mind-by-the-words-you-speak-you-inspire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who agree with you already agree with you -- you don't change peoples minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/people-who-agree-with-you-already-agree-with-you-you-don-t-change/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [When you touch and change peoples lives with a song, that's when you've made it as an artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcgraw/when-you-touch-and-change-peoples-lives-with-a-song-that-s-when-you/) [Tim McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcgraw/) > [If you're a psychologist, you can instrumentally change peoples' lives for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-miller/if-you-re-a-psychologist-you-can-instrumentally-change-peoples-lives/) [T. J. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-miller/) > [I want to change peoples' minds about music, I want to bring the really brutal experimental stuff to peoples' attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/squarepusher/i-want-to-change-peoples-minds-about-music-i-want-to-bring-the-really/) [Squarepusher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/squarepusher/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I've never done anybody any harm in my entire life. No need to chase girls, I've thousands of them on Top Of The Pops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-savile/i-ve-never-done-anybody-any-harm-in-my-entire-life-no-need-to-chase/) [Jimmy Savile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-savile/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) ## More by Zach Wahls > [Gov. Romney says he's against same-sex marriage because every child deserves a mother and a father. I think every child deserves a family as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/gov-romney-says-he-s-against-same-sex-marriage-because-every-child/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“...I was normal until society told me they didn't think I was normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/i-was-normal-until-society-told-me-they-didn-t-think-i-was-normal/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [I think every child deserves a family as loving and committed as mine. Because the sense of family comes from the commitment we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/i-think-every-child-deserves-a-family-as-loving-and-committed-as-mine/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [Religious beliefs...should never be an excuse to treat people badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/religious-beliefs-should-never-be-an-excuse-to-treat-people-badly/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“It’s not like I woke up one morning, cracked my knuckles and thought, All right, time to pick a sexuality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/it-s-not-like-i-woke-up-one-morning-cracked-my-knuckles-and-thought/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“...a dozen hands engaged in hard, charitable work will change more lives than thousands of hands clasped in prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/a-dozen-hands-engaged-in-hard-charitable-work-will-change-more-lives/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-and-forging-ahead-anyway/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [The sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/the-sexual-orientation-of-my-parents-has-had-zero-effect-on-the/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) [Explore all 9 Zach Wahls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) ## More Harm quotes > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I've never done anybody any harm in my entire life. No need to chase girls, I've thousands of them on Top Of The Pops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-savile/i-ve-never-done-anybody-any-harm-in-my-entire-life-no-need-to-chase/) [Jimmy Savile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-savile/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is no question but that nominally religious scientists like Francis Collins and Kenneth R. Miller are doing lasting harm to our discourse by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/there-is-no-question-but-that-nominally-religious-scientists-like/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-any-man-has-done-wrong-the-harm-is-his-own-but-perhaps-he-has-not/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Be Kind - If not, Bring No Harm”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-r-west/be-kind-if-not-bring-no-harm/) [Bianca R. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-r-west/) > [“In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/in-quixotically-trying-to-conquer-death-doctors-all-too-frequently-do/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. That speech is truly well spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/speak-only-the-speech-that-neither-torments-self-nor-does-harm-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-have-noticed-that-nothing-i-have-never-said-ever-did-me-any-harm/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [I've said before, the number one thing that we have to work on is protecting the gay community from sharia law. Now, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/i-ve-said-before-the-number-one-thing-that-we-have-to-work-on-is/) [Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/) [Browse all 2,207 Harm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against their wills, and we should not inflict our systems on others if such infliction results in the harm of another human being.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zach Wahls" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/we-should-not-try-to-change-other-peoples-systems-against-their-wills/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Harm" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/we-should-not-try-to-change-other-peoples-systems-against-their-wills/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/zach-wahls-43638_quote_we-should-not-try-to-change-other-people_2251304.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against their wills, and we should not inflict our…” — Zach Wahls", "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": "Zach Wahls", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We should NOT try to change...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/we-should-not-try-to-change-other-peoples-systems-against-their-wills/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/we-should-not-try-to-change-other-peoples-systems-against-their-wills/#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 } } ] } ```