Why, a moral truth is a hollow tooth which must be propped with gold.
—Edgar Lee Masters (1869–1950) American Poet, Novelist
The quality of moral behavior varies in inverse ratio to the number of human beings involved.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
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
With intellectuals, moral thought is often less a tonic that quickens ethical action than a narcotic that deadens it.
—Louis Kronenberger (1904–80) American Drama, Literary Critic
The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
Moral: Conforming to a local and mutable standard of right; having the quality of general expediency.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Ordinary morality is only for ordinary people.
—Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) English Occultist, Mystic, Magician
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 American Theologian
I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
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 most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Morals are in all countries the result of legislation and government; they are not African or Asian or European: they are good or bad.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
To set up as a standard of public morality a notion which can neither be defined nor conceived is to open the door to every kind of tyranny.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
When moral courage feels that it is in the right, there is no personal daring of which it is incapable.
—Leigh Hunt (1784–1859) British Poet, Essayist, Journalist
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
Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. So aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The better one is morally the less aware they are of their virtue.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
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
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) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Literary Critic, Social Critic
A set of rules laid out by professionals to show the way they would like to act if it was profitable.
—Frank Lane (1896–1981) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
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
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
When we start deceiving ourselves into thinking not that we want something or need something, not that it is a pragmatic necessity for us to have it, but that it is a moral imperative that we have it, then is when we join the fashionable madmen, and then is when the thin whine of hysteria is heard in the land, and then is when we are in bad trouble.
—Joan Didion (b.1934) American Essayist, Novelist, Memoirist
From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
The essence of morality is the subjugation of nature in obedience to social needs.
—John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn (1838–1923) British Political Leader, Writer, Editor, Journalist
Two things fill the mind with ever increasing wonder and awe. The more often and the more intensely the mind of thought is drawn to them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me. Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness.
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
Every act of every man is a moral act, to be tested by moral, and not by economic, criteria.
—Robert Maynard Hutchins (1899–1977) American Educator
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. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
Physical deformity, calls forth our charity. But the infinite misfortune of moral deformity calls forth nothing but hatred and vengeance.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
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
The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher, Playwright, Screenwriter
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a period of moral crises, maintain their neutrality.
—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) Italian Poet, Philosopher
Modern morality and manners suppress all natural instincts, keep people ignorant of the facts of nature and make them fighting drunk on bogey tales.
—Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) English Occultist, Mystic, Magician
Morality comes with the sad wisdom of age, when the sense of curiosity has withered.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
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