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About this quote

What does it mean?
Strachey responds to a provocative hypothetical about family safety with a simple, principled statement of intervention.
In plain terms
When asked what he would do to protect his sister, he said he would try to stop the attacker.
What can you take from it?
Protecting family members is a fundamental duty that calls for direct intervention.

Where it applies

  • moral dilemmas
  • family protection
  • hypothetical questions

Putting it to work

  • defend loved ones
  • answer hypotheticals honestly

Questions to consider

  • What would you do in that situation?
  • Is physical intervention always right?

Another view

The response is simple but ignores the complexity of real violence.

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