What is morality in any given time or place? It is what the majority then and there happen to like, and immorality is what they dislike.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
Our morality seems to be only a check on the ultimate domination of force, just as our politeness is a check on the impulse of every pig to put his feet in the trough.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
Every young man would do well to remember that all successful business stands on the foundation of morality.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Ethics, too, are nothing but reverence for life. That is what gives me the fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life, and that destroying, injuring, and limiting life are evil.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Philosopher, Musician, Physician
Morality is the theory that every human act must be either right or wrong, and that 99% of them are wrong.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Learn what a people glory in, and you may learn much of both the theory and practice of their morals.
—James Martineau (1805–1900) English Philosopher, Religious Leader
The fatal trait of the times is the divorce between religion and morality.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
One who practises morality, having his words and deeds well-controlled, will be befriended by many, while one who does not behave himself in accordance with morality, who is given to immoral conduct, will be shut off from his friend.
—Buddhist Teaching
Morality is simply the attitude we adopt toward people whom we personally dislike.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
An Englishman thinks he is moral when he is only uncomfortable.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Time is the great equalizer in the field of morals.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Do study the law of Morality. With morality veil studied and observed in this world come all kinds of wealth.
—Buddhist Teaching
Don’t say you don’t have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of hours per day
that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,
Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci,
Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (1940–2021) American Author of “Life’s Little Instruction Book”
Morality is the vestibule of religion.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it’s set a rolling it must increase.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The true grandeur of humanity is in moral elevation, sustained, enlightened, and decorated by the intellect of man.
—Charles Sumner (1811–74) American Lawyer, Statesman
It is safe to say that no other superstition is so detrimental to growth, so enervating and paralyzing to the minds and hearts of the people, as the superstition of Morality.
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940) Lithuanian-American Anarchist, Feminist
There is nothing so bad but it can masquerade as moral.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator
We practically always excuse things when we understand them.
—Mikhail Lermontov (1814–41) Russian Novelist, Poet
There are few things more disturbing than to find, in somebody we detest, a moral quality which seems to us demonstrably superior to anything we ourselves possess. It augurs not merely an unfairness on the part of creation, but a lack of artistic judgment. Sainthood is acceptable only in saints.
—Pamela Hansford Johnson (1912–81) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Morality is contraband in war.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Unfortunately, moral beauty in art—like physical beauty in a person—is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or intellectual beauty. Moral beauty has a tendency to decay very rapidly into sententiousness or untimeliness.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.
—Lincoln Steffens (1846–1936) American Academic, Journalist, Political Philosopher
Discourses on morality and reflection on human nature, are the best means we can make use of to improve our minds, gain a true knowledge of ourselves, and recover our souls out of the vice, ignorance, and prejudice which naturally cleave to them.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
What we call “morals” is simply blind obedience to words of command.
—Havelock Ellis (1859–1939) British Essayist, Physician
If your morals make you dreary, depend upon it they are wrong. I do not say “give them up,” for they may be all you have; but conceal them like a vice, lest they should spoil the lives of better and simpler people.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
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