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I think the greatest truths, the ones that you find in…

“I think the greatest truths, the ones that you find in every culture that has any sort of history of reflection of writing, the greatest truth is that there's nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so. That's the way Shakespeare put it. But you get basically the same idea from Buddha, from the…” quote by Jonathan Haidt
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“I think the greatest truths, the ones that you find in every culture that has any sort of history of reflection of writing, the greatest truth is that there's nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so. That's the way Shakespeare put it. But you get basically the same idea from Buddha, from the Bhagavad Gita in India, and from the Stoics in ancient Greece and Rome.”

Jonathan Haidt

About This Quote

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

Moral judgments are not absolute; they arise from cultural narratives and personal interpretation.

In simple terms: Good and bad are labels we assign.

Key Takeaway

Question your assumptions about morality.

Themes

ethics relativism culture

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

  • cross‑cultural dialogue
  • education
  • policy making
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

moral philosophy psychology comparative religion

Questions to Reflect On

  • What cultural narratives shape your sense of right?
  • Can you see morality beyond binary labels?
A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex ethical systems.

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