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What is crime amongst the multitude, is only vice among the few.
Benjamin Disraeli
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that actions considered wrong by society can be viewed differently depending on the number of people involved and their status.

Benjamin Disraeli's quote highlights the disparity in moral judgment based on societal context and population. It suggests that what may be broadly condemned as a crime when committed by a large group can be minimized to mere vice or moral failing when observed in a smaller, perhaps more elite, group. This reflects how societal norms and perceptions can shift based on perspective and scale.

Themes

CrimeViceSocietyMoral JudgmentPerception

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about white-collar crime at a conference.

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