Skip to content

It was like either: (A) I was a terrible guy who was…

“It was like either: (A) I was a terrible guy who was knowingly doing this rotten thing over and over, or (B) it wasn’t so rotten, really, just normal, and the way to confirm it was normal was to keep doing it, over and over.” quote by George Saunders
Download Open image
“It was like either: (A) I was a terrible guy who was knowingly doing this rotten thing over and over, or (B) it wasn’t so rotten, really, just normal, and the way to confirm it was normal was to keep doing it, over and over.”

George Saunders

About This Quote

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

Repeated harmful actions become normalized when they are continuously justified, blurring moral judgment.

In simple terms: Doing bad things repeatedly can feel normal.

Key Takeaway

Question and challenge repeated harmful patterns.

Themes

ethics behavior normalization

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • organizational culture
  • social movements

Key Concepts

moral psychology habit formation

Questions to Reflect On

  • What habits have you normalized that may be harmful?
  • How can you break the cycle of justification?
A Different Perspective

Normalization can mask underlying damage, making it harder to change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by George Saunders

Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes

More Guy quotes

Browse all 14,708 Guy quotes