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In most old communities there is a common sense even in…

“In most old communities there is a common sense even in sensuality. Vice itself gets gradually digested into a system, is amenable to certain laws of conventional propriety and honor, has for its object simply the gratification of its appetites, and frowns with quite a conservative air on all new…” quote by Edwin Percy Whipple
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“In most old communities there is a common sense even in sensuality. Vice itself gets gradually digested into a system, is amenable to certain laws of conventional propriety and honor, has for its object simply the gratification of its appetites, and frowns with quite a conservative air on all new inventions, all untried experiments in iniquity.”

Edwin Percy Whipple

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Society gradually normalizes vice, wrapping it in propriety while resisting new ideas.

In simple terms: Society accepts vice over it seems normal.

Key Takeaway

Question accepted norms.

Themes

morality conformity tradition

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

  • legal reforms
  • cultural shifts
  • public debates

Key Concepts

social conditioning ethical relativism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What traditions hide harmful practices?
  • How can new ideas be introduced respectfully?
A Different Perspective

Change can be slow and met with resistance.

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