When a human being kills an animal for food, he is neglecting his own hunger for justice.
Isaac Bashevis SingerRead
People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Tradition should not be an excuse for unethical practices.
Isaac Bashevis Singer's quote critiques the use of historical practices as a justification for continuing potentially harmful behaviors. It emphasizes that just because something has been done in the past does not mean it is morally acceptable to persist with it, using the analogy of human violence to highlight the flawed logic behind such reasoning.
Themes
TraditionEthicsMoralityCritiqueViolence
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on animal rights, this quote can be used to illustrate that tradition shouldn't dictate our ethics.
More from Isaac Bashevis Singer
All quotes →There will be no justice as long as man will stand with a knife or with a gun and destroy those who are weaker than he is.
Isaac Bashevis SingerRead
Our knowledge is a little island in a great ocean of nonknowledge.
Isaac Bashevis SingerRead
As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together.
Isaac Bashevis SingerRead
Sometimes love is stronger than a man's convictions.
Isaac Bashevis SingerRead
I did not become a vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens.
Isaac Bashevis SingerRead
Similar quotes
Dealing with complexity is an inefficient and unnecessary waste of time, attention and mental energy. There is never any justification for things being complex when they could be simple.
Edward De BonoRead
Chaos is what we have. That is what I believe.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
The Soviet government is the most realistic regime in the world - no ideals.
Golda MeirRead
Jesus was not a white man; He was not a black man. He came from that part of the world that touches Africa and Asia and Europe. Christianity is not a white man's religion and don't let anybody ever tell you that it's white or black. Christ belongs to all people; He belongs to the whole world.
Billy GrahamRead
It is human nature to look away from illness. We don't enjoy a reminder of our own fragile mortality. That's why writing on the Internet has become a lifesaver for me. My ability to think and write have not been affected. And on the Web, my real voice finds expression.
Roger EbertRead
Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.
J. I. PackerRead