Morality is a venereal disease. Its primary stage is called virtue; its secondary stage, boredom; its tertiary stage, syphilis.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Morality starts as virtue but often leads to boredom and eventual corruption.
- In plain terms
- Being good can become boring and then turn into something bad.
- What can you take from it?
- Virtue requires constant renewal to avoid decay.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is virtue boring?
- How do you keep your ethics fresh?
Another view
The comparison to disease is overly cynical about human goodness.
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Matrimony is the union of meanness and martyrdom.
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