Belief like any other moving body follows the path of least resistance.
Samuel ButlerRead
Half the vices which the world condemns most loudly have seeds of good in them and require moderate use rather than total abstinence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that many vices have a positive aspect when approached in moderation instead of complete avoidance.
Samuel Butler's quote posits that the world often harshly criticizes various vices, yet he argues that these vices can contain positive elements that can be beneficial when practiced in moderation. Rather than advocating for outright abstinence, Butler encourages a balanced approach, suggesting that moderation allows us to appreciate the complexities of human behavior and morality. This reflects a broader philosophical understanding of good and bad as not being absolutes but rather existing on a spectrum.
Themes
ModerationVicesBalanceGoodAbstinence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a debate about the nature of morality.
More from Samuel Butler
All quotes βTo know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish to deny him, or define him.
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Academic and aristocratic people live in such an uncommon atmosphere that common sense can rarely reach them.
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An apology for the devil: it must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.
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Young people have a marvelous faculty of either dying or adapting themselves to circumstances.
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People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable.
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