Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
At school he had done things which had formerly seemed to him very horrid and made him feel disgusted with himself when he did them; but when later on he saw that such actions were done by people of good position and that they did not regard them as wrong, he was able not exactly to regard them as right, but to forget about them entirely or not be at all troubled at remembering them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the conflicting nature of morality and how societal influence can shape one's perception of right and wrong.
In this quote, Tolstoy illustrates the complex relationship between personal ethics and societal norms. While the character initially feels disgusted by certain behaviors, their perspective shifts upon observing others in respected positions engaging in the same actions without guilt. This captures a philosophical exploration of morality, suggesting that our understanding of right and wrong can become blurred through social context, leading to a dissociation from one's own moral judgments.
Themes
MoralitySocietyEthicsPerceptionSelf-Reflection
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethical dilemmas in business, one might use this quote to illustrate how societal norms can shift personal moral standards.
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People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing-refusing to participate in activities that make life bad.
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It's too easy to criticize a man when he's out of favour, and to make him shoulder the blame for everybody else's mistakes.
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Music is the shorthand of emotion. Emotions, which let themselves be described in words with such difficulty, are directly conveyed to man in music, and in that is its power and significance.
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A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.
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