Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.
Seneca The YoungerRead
We are mad, not only individually, but nationally. We check manslaughter and isolated murders; but what of war and the much-vaunted crime of slaughtering whole peoples?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes humanity's willingness to accept war as a form of madness while condemning individual acts of violence.
In this quote, Seneca The Younger highlights the irony of societal morality, pointing out the inconsistency in how we judge violence. While individuals are held accountable for murder and manslaughter, entire nations are often overlooked for the atrocities committed during war, suggesting that our moral compass is distorted when it comes to collective violence and destruction.
Themes
MadnessWarViolenceMoralitySociety
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the ethics of warfare during a debate.
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To be able to endure odium is the first art to be learned by those who aspire to power.
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Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.
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Loyalty is the holiest good in the human heart.
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