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The corruption of the best things gives rise to the worst.
David Hume
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Interpretation

What this quote means

When the best qualities are corrupted, it can lead to the worst outcomes.

David Hume’s quote suggests that the degradation or corruption of virtuous and valuable qualities can result in negative consequences. This underlines the importance of preserving integrity and goodness, as their loss can give way to detrimental outcomes, reflecting a deeper philosophical understanding of morality and the nature of humanity.

Themes

CorruptionMoralityIntegrityConsequencesVirtue

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about ethics in business, one could say, 'Remember, the corruption of the best things gives rise to the worst.'

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To have recourse to the veracity of the supreme Being, in order to prove the veracity of our senses, is surely making a very unexpected circuit.
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