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What good men most biologists are, the tenors of the scientific world-temperamental, moody, lecherous, loud-laughing, and healthy. Your true biologist will sing you a song as loud and off-key as will a blacksmith, for he knows that morals are too often diagnostic of prostatitis and stomach ulcers. Sometimes he may proliferate a little too much in all directions, but he is as easy to kill as any other organism, and meanwhile he is very good company, and at least he does not confuse a low hormone productivity with moral ethics.

John Steinbeck#3

CharacterHuman natureHumorBiologyHealthMoralityScience

About this quote

What does it mean?
Steinbeck contrasts biologists with moralists, suggesting that scientific men are vibrant and flawed but honest, unlike those whose morality masks physical ailments.
In plain terms
Biologists are lively and imperfect but honest, while moralists often hide health problems behind their ethics.
What can you take from it?
Flaws are often more honest than forced morality.

Where it applies

  • evaluating experts
  • discussing health
  • judging character

Putting it to work

  • assessing scientific culture
  • understanding human flaws

Questions to consider

  • Is honesty more valuable than moral perfection?
  • How do physical health and ethics relate?

Another view

The quote relies on outdated stereotypes about gender and health.

More from John Steinbeck

  1. The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty.

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  2. One man was so mad at me that he ended his letter: 'Beware. You will never get out of this world alive.'

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  3. We are lonesome animals. We spend all our life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say - and to f…

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