Football strategy does not originate in a scrimmage: it is useless to expect solutions in a political campaign.
Walter LippmannRead
There is nothing so bad but it can masquerade as moral.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that even the worst of actions can be justified under the guise of morality.
Walter Lippmann's quote points out the tendency of individuals and societies to rationalize unethical or harmful behavior by presenting it as morally justified. This reflects a critical view on human nature and the complexities of moral reasoning, suggesting that people may disguise their true intentions or actions with a veneer of morality to avoid criticism or to maintain a positive self-image.
Themes
MoralityJustificationBehaviorHuman NatureEthics
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a debate about ethical dilemmas in political decision-making.
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The private citizen, beset by partisan appeals for the loan of his Public Opinion, will soon see, perhaps, that these appeals are not a compliment to his intelligence, but an imposition on his good nature and an insult to his sense of evidence.
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To create a minimum standard of life below which no human being can fall is the most elementary duty of the democratic state.
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