Believe me, Eugenie, the words "vice" and "virtue" supply…
““Believe me, Eugenie, the words "vice" and "virtue" supply us only with local meanings. There is no action, however bizarre you may picture it, that is truly criminal; or one that can really be called virtuous. Everything depends on our customs and on the climates we live in. What is considered a crime here is often a virtue a few hundred leagues away; and the virtues of another hemisphere might, quite conversely, be regarded as crimes among us. There is no atrocity that hasn't been deified, no virtue that hasn't been stigmatized.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Morality is relative, shaped by culture and environment, not absolute.
In simple terms: Right and wrong change with society.
Key Takeaway
Question your own cultural assumptions.
Themes
relativism
ethics
culture
subjectivity
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- travel
- legal systems
- cross‑cultural business
- anthropology research
Key Concepts
moral relativism
social constructivism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do your customs define virtue?
- Can a practice be both crime and virtue elsewhere?
A Different Perspective
Absolute moral standards are debated and may not exist.