Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow.
Benjamin DisraeliRead
What is crime amongst the multitude, is only vice among the few.
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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The practice of politics in the East may be defined by one word: dissimulation.
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