The most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of your own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs. There's not one of them which won't make us into devils if we set it up as an absolute guide. You might think love of humanity in general was safe, but it isn't. If you leave out justice you'll find yourself breaking agreements and faking evidence in trials 'for the sake of humanity' and become in the end a cruel and treacherous man.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Elevating any single human impulse to an absolute guide turns us into devils; even love of humanity without justice leads to cruelty and treachery.
- In plain terms
- Making any impulse absolute makes us evil; loving humanity without justice makes us cruel.
- What can you take from it?
- No single impulse should rule absolutely; balance it with justice.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Which impulse might you overvalue?
- How have you seen love become cruel?
Another view
Determining which impulses need balance is itself subjective.
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