Where a reputation for intolerance is more feared than a reputation for vice itself, all manner of evil may be expected to flourish.
Interpretation
Fear of judgment can lead to the acceptance of immoral behavior.
This quote by Theodore Dalrymple suggests that when society prioritizes the fear of being labeled as intolerant over the fear of being perceived as morally corrupt, it creates an environment where unethical actions can thrive. Intolerance becomes a greater concern than vice itself, leading individuals to ignore or even support wrongdoing to avoid being labeled as unaccepting or judgmental.
In practice
In a discussion about moral standards in society, this quote can highlight the dangers of prioritizing reputation over ethics.
So what exactly are the rewards of resentment. It is always a relief to know that the reason we have failed in life is not because we lack the talent, energy, or determination to succeed, but because of a factor that is beyond our control and that has loaded the dice decisively against us.
It is clear to me that people often want incompatible things. They want danger and excitement on the one hand, and safety and security on the other, and often simultaneously. Contradictory desires mean that life can never be wholly satisfying or without frustration.
I'll be damned if death wears my sadness for glad rags.
Every being has its own interior, its self, its mystery, its numinous aspect. To deprive any being of this sacred quality is to disrupt the total order of the universe. Reverence will be total or it will not be at all. The universe does not come to us in pieces any more than a human individual stands before us with some part of his/her being.
You ought not attempt to cure the eyes without the head, or the head without the body, so neither ought you attempt to cure the body without the soul.
There are no perfect human beings! Persons can be found who are good, very good indeed, in fact, great. There do in fact exist creators, seers, sages, saints, shakers, and movers...even if they are uncommon and do not come by the dozen. And yet these very same people can at times be boring, irritating, petulant, selfish, angry, or depressed. To avoid disillusionment with human nature, we must first give up our illusions about it.
I never have felt that people should feel that they are better than others, simply because they just happen to possess a larger share of material items and monetary wealth than others less fortunate. I believe in sharing, assisting, and just lending a helping hand to people.
It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.
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