And Mr Verloc, temparamentally identical with his…
““And Mr Verloc, temparamentally identical with his associates, drew fine distinctions in his mind on the strenght of insignificant differences. He drew them with a certain complacency, because the instinct of conventional respectability was strong within him, being only overcome by defect which he shared with a large proportion of revolutionary reformers of a given social state. For obviously one does not revolt against the advantages and opportunities of that state, but against the price which must be paid for the same in the coin of accepted morality, self-restraint, and toil. The majority of revolutionists are the enemies of discipline and fatigue mostly. There are natures, too, to whose sense of justice the price exacted looms up monstrously enormous, odious, oppressive, worrying, humiliating, extortionate, intolerable. Those are the fanatics. The remaining portion of social rebels is accounted for by, vanity, the mother of all noble and vile illusions, the companion of poets, reformers, charlatans, prophets, and incendiaries.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage critiques how revolutionaries rationalize rebellion, often driven by vanity, injustice, or a desire to escape moral constraints, while ignoring the discipline required for true change.
In simple terms: Rebels often hide motives in vanity or perceived injustice.
Key Takeaway
Recognize true motives behind dissent.
Themes
revolution
vanity
justice
discipline
illusion
Mood
critical
reflective
skeptical
Type
philosophical
analytical
literary.
When to use this quote
- political activism
- personal reflection
- social reform
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
moral psychology
social critique
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal biases drive your dissent?
- How does vanity shape social movements?
A Different Perspective
Revolutionary actions can be self‑serving rather than altruistic.