--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Responding to the claim that not just…" description: "\"“Responding to the claim that not just reading but \"high culture\" in general is morally improving, Terry Eagleton points out that, during World War II,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/alan-jacobs-22461_better-person_responding-to-the-claim-that-not-just-re_3094249.jpg" --- # Responding to the claim that not just reading but "high… ![“Responding to the claim that not just reading but "high culture" in general is morally improving, Terry Eagleton points out that, during World War II, "many people were indeed deep in high culture, but . . . this had not prevented some of them from engaging in such activities as superintending the…” quote by Alan Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/alan-jacobs-22461_better-person_responding-to-the-claim-that-not-just-re_3094249.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/alan-jacobs-22461_better-person_responding-to-the-claim-that-not-just-re_3094249.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/alan-jacobs-22461_better-person_responding-to-the-claim-that-not-just-re_3094249.jpg) > ““Responding to the claim that not just reading but "high culture" in general is morally improving, Terry Eagleton points out that, during World War II, "many people were indeed deep in high culture, but . . . this had not prevented some of them from engaging in such activities as superintending the murder of Jews in central Europe." If reading really was supposed to "make you a better person," then "when the Allied troops moved into the concentration camps . . . to arrest commandants who had whiled away their leisure hours with a volume of Goethe, it appeared that someone had some explaining to do." So nothing about reading, or listening to Mozart sonatas, or viewing paintings by Raphael necessarily transforms or even improves someone's character. As the eighteenth-century scientist G. C. Lichtenberg once wrote, "A book is like a mirror: if an ass looks in, you can't expect an apostle to look out." Nevertheless, I am going to argue . . . that if you really want to become a better person, there are ways in which reading can help. But the degree to which that happens will depend not just on what you read . . . but also why and how.”” [Alan Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jacobs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading alone does not guarantee moral improvement; the impact depends on the reader’s intentions, context, and critical engagement with the material. **In simple terms:** Reading isn’t automatically moral; purpose matters. Key Takeaway Read critically, not just for exposure. Themes ethics education literature critical thinking Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical argumentative When to use this quote - Academic discourse - personal development - cultural criticism Key Concepts Moral philosophy cognitive impact Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your reading choices? - How can reading foster ethical growth? A Different Perspective Assumes all reading is neutral, ignoring systemic influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-person/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Concentration camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-camp/) [Concentration Camps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-camps/) [Explaining Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explaining-reading-5334791/) [High Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-culture-1024137/) [Morally Improving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morally-improving-5334790/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-high-436425/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing that everyone needs to look out for is keeping the students reading through high school and thereafter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/the-only-thing-that-everyone-needs-to-look-out-for-is-keeping-the/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Not exactly what the world was looking for, a musical on 'Don Quixote.' 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