Gradually I came to realize that people will more readily swallow lies than truth, as if the taste of lies was homey, appetizing: a habit.
Martha GellhornRead
the ends never justify the means because IT never ends.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Using unethical methods to achieve a goal is misguided, as such methods create ongoing consequences.
Martha Gellhorn's quote highlights the idea that pursuing a goal through unethical means undermines the integrity of the process. It suggests that when we prioritize ends over means, we risk creating a cycle of negative outcomes that perpetuate suffering or injustice, indicating that the consequences of our actions often extend beyond the immediate goal.
Themes
EthicsMoralityConsequencesIntegrityProcess
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on ethical business practices, this quote can be used to emphasize the importance of maintaining integrity.
More from Martha Gellhorn
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Citizenship is a tough occupation which obliges the citizen to make his own informed opinion and stand by it.
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I followed the war wherever I could reach it.
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Thousand got away to other countries; thousands returned to Spain tempted by false promises of kindness. By the tens of thousands, these Spaniards died of neglect in the concentration camps.
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By its existence, the Peace Movement denies that governments know best; it stands for a different order of priorities: the human race comes first.
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