The essence of morality is a questioning about morality; and the decisive move of human life is to use ceaselessly all light to look for the origin of the opposition between good and evil.
—Georges Bataille (1897–1962) French Essayist, Intellectual
Ah! How neatly tied, in these people, is the umbilical cord of morality! Since they left their mothers they have never sinned, have they? They are apostles, they are the descendants of priests; one can only wonder from what source they draw their indignation, and above all how much they have pocketed to do this, and in any case what it has done for them.
—Antonin Artaud (1896–1948) French Actor, Drama Theorist
Every man has his moral backside which he refrains from showing unless he has to and keeps covered as long as possible with the trousers of decorum.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes that men can arrive at the middle path of wisdom and virtue.
—Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) German Philosopher, Linguist, Statesman
Not on morality, but on cookery, let us build our stronghold: there brandishing our frying-pan, as censer, let us offer sweet incense to the Devil, and live at ease on the fat things he has provided for his elect.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
An Englishman thinks he is moral when he is only uncomfortable.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
I am done with great things and big things, great institutions and big success, and I am for those tiny invisible molecular moral forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, yet which if you give them time, will rend the hardest monumentos of man’s pride.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
The better one is morally the less aware they are of their virtue.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
The disesteem into which moralists have fallen is due at bottom to their failure to see that in an age like this one the function of the moralist is not to exhort men to be good but to elucidate what the good is. The problem of sanctions is secondary.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator
He who steadily observes those moral precepts in which all religions concur will never be questioned at the gates of heaven as to the dogmas in which they all differ.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
Though sages may pour out their wisdom’s treasure, there is no sterner moralist than pleasure.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
We become moral when we are unhappy.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
Moralistic is not moral. And as for truth—well, it’s like brown—it’s not in the spectrum. Truth is so generic.
—Iris Murdoch (1919–99) British Novelist, Playwright, Philosopher
The quality of moral behavior varies in inverse ratio to the number of human beings involved.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Satirist, Short Story Writer
The only immorality is not to do what one has to do when one has to do it.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
Time is the great equalizer in the field of morals.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
To have a respect for ourselves guides our morals; and to have a deference for others governs our manners.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, “I was wrong.”
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
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
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
We have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side; one which we preach but do not practice and another which we practice but seldom preach.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Moral codes adjust themselves to environmental conditions.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
There’s always the hyena of morality at the garden gate, and the real wolf at the end of the street.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Critic
We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our deficiencies, and spurs us on to higher and better things.
—Tryon Edwards (1809–94) American Theologian, Author
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