To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
Aldous HuxleyRead
The consistent thinker, the consistently moral man, is either a walking mummy or else, if he has not succeeded in stifling all his vitality, a fanatical monomaniac.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Consistent thinking and morality can lead to a lack of vitality or obsessive behavior.
Aldous Huxley suggests that a person who thinks consistently and adheres strictly to moral principles without flexibility may become either lifeless like a 'walking mummy' or obsessively fixated on a single idea, becoming a 'fanatical monomaniac'. This quote highlights the potential drawbacks of inflexible thinking and the importance of balance in one's approach to life and ethics.
Themes
ThinkingMoralityVitalityObsessionBalance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used to inspire a discussion about the importance of flexibility in moral decision-making in a philosophy class.
More from Aldous Huxley
All quotes βFacts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
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In the course of history many more people have died for their drink and their dope than have died for their religion or their country.
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On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.
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No man ever dared to manifest his boredom so insolently as does a Siamese tomcat when he yawns in the face of his amorously importunate wife.
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The leech's kiss, the squid's embrace, The prurient ape's defiling touch: And do you like the human race? No, not much.
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