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All of us are experts at practicing virtue at a distance.
Theodore Hesburgh
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Interpretation

What this quote means

People often find it easy to endorse virtuous behavior without actively engaging in it.

This quote by Theodore Hesburgh highlights the tendency of individuals to commend virtue from afar while neglecting to embody those virtues in their own lives. It suggests that the true test of virtue lies not in mere approval of good actions but in the courage to practice them in everyday situations, especially when faced with personal challenges.

Themes

VirtuePracticeDistanceActionsCharacter

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion on ethics during a philosophy class.

More from Theodore Hesburgh

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.
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My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are cheap; you make them because they're right.
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It is easier to exemplify values than teach them.
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I can think of no better way of redeeming this tragic world today than love and laughter. Too many of the young have forgotten how to laugh, and too many of the elders have forgotten how to love. Would not our lives be lightened if only we could all learn to laugh more easily at ourselves and to love one another?
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Anyone who refuses to speak out off campus does not deserve to be listened to on campus.
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