--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world in which we now live is a world…" description: "\"“The world in which we now live is a world whose outlook is so distorted that we absolutize what is relative (money-making, power, success) and relativ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg" --- # The world in which we now live is a world whose outlook is… ![“The world in which we now live is a world whose outlook is so distorted that we absolutize what is relative (money-making, power, success) and relativize what is absolute (truth, moral values, and God).” quote by Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg) > ““The world in which we now live is a world whose outlook is so distorted that we absolutize what is relative (money-making, power, success) and relativize what is absolute (truth, moral values, and God).”” [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society elevates relative values like wealth and power while diminishing absolute truths, causing moral confusion. **In simple terms:** We prioritize money over truth. Key Takeaway Re‑anchor to absolute values. Themes values truth morality Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political debate - media consumption - personal decision‑making Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What absolutes guide you? - How do you balance relative success with truth? A Different Perspective Absolute values may be contested across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-truth/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Catholicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholicism/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Moral values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-values/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-moral-356681/) [Values God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-god-698862/) [World Outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-outlook-3838191/) ## Related quotes > [“If truth and moral values are relative, one cannot claim that certain human rights are universally applicable to all cultures and all people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mcandrew/if-truth-and-moral-values-are-relative-one-cannot-claim-that-certain/) [Stephen McAndrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mcandrew/) > [Those who believe that they have absolute truth and the only moral system are destructive both to themselves and to those whom they try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-rhinehart/those-who-believe-that-they-have-absolute-truth-and-the-only-moral/) [Luke Rhinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-rhinehart/) > [Capitalism is not an economic system, but a world-outlook, or rather, a part of a whole world-outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parker-yockey/capitalism-is-not-an-economic-system-but-a-world-outlook-or-rather-a/) [Francis Parker Yockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parker-yockey/) > [If you witness (the problems in the world), your outlook on life will change. You will understand how fortunate and well-off you are, (…).…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tetsuko-kuroyanagi/if-you-witness-the-problems-in-the-world-your-outlook-on-life-will/) [Tetsuko Kuroyanagi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tetsuko-kuroyanagi/) > [“Reflection on Romans 12:1–2 It is increasingly difficult for us to remain unaffected by the values of our society. In an age of unprecedented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/reflection-on-romans-12-1-2-it-is-increasingly-difficult-for-us-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognize his values... God made life simple. It is man who complicates it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/man-must-feel-the-earth-to-know-himself-and-recognize-his-values-god/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [I believe you select a president who best represents what you think are the values that God wants us to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-believe-you-select-a-president-who-best-represents-what-you-think/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [When you understand the values of God's kingdom, you will best understand His agenda.4 However, it is my conviction that the message of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/when-you-understand-the-values-of-god-s-kingdom-you-will-best/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [Truth is to the moral world what gravitation is to the material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-evarts/truth-is-to-the-moral-world-what-gravitation-is-to-the-material/) [William M. Evarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-evarts/) > [That which does not correspond to the truth or to the moral norm possesses, objectively, no right either to existence or to propagation or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xii/that-which-does-not-correspond-to-the-truth-or-to-the-moral-norm/) [Pope Pius XII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xii/) > [The artist should preach nothing-not even his own autonomy. His art should speak its own truth, and in so doing it will be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-artist-should-preach-nothing-not-even-his-own-autonomy-his-art/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [There's a reason evolution is a hot-button issue. It's not just a matter of science, either. It's a matter of the big questions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-peretti/there-s-a-reason-evolution-is-a-hot-button-issue-it-s-not-just-a/) [Frank Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-peretti/) > [Without God and religion you don't have moral truth, you have moral opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/without-god-and-religion-you-don-t-have-moral-truth-you-have-moral/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Love may not lead where we think or hope, but regardless of outcome it should be a call to seriousness and truth. If it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/love-may-not-lead-where-we-think-or-hope-but-regardless-of-outcome-it/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Hermes smiled. "I knew a boy once ... oh, younger than you by far. A mere baby, really." Here we go again , George…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hermes-smiled-i-knew-a-boy-once-oh-younger-than-you-by-far-a-mere/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More by Alice von Hildebrand > [Unwittingly, the feminists acknowledge the superiority of the male sex by wishing to become like men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/unwittingly-the-feminists-acknowledge-the-superiority-of-the-male-sex/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [There are very few real teachers. Teaching is not a job; it is a vocation. To be a great one many qualities must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/there-are-very-few-real-teachers-teaching-is-not-a-job-it-is-a/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [...is it surprising that today we have become so morally blind (for wickedness blinds) that we save the baby whales at great cost, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/is-it-surprising-that-today-we-have-become-so-morally-blind-for/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [The diabolical work that has taken place since the legalization of abortion is that it has destroyed, in those tragic women who have allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/the-diabolical-work-that-has-taken-place-since-the-legalization-of/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [Feminism without femininity is a sham.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/feminism-without-femininity-is-a-sham/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [An old fool is the worst of all fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/an-old-fool-is-the-worst-of-all-fools/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [Just as our parents' souls revolted against God, their bodies revolted against their souls, to which they had been subject. And they realized 'that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/just-as-our-parents-souls-revolted-against-god-their-bodies-revolted/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [By living up to their calling, women will succeed in guaranteeing a proper recognition of the unique value of femininity and its crucial mission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/by-living-up-to-their-calling-women-will-succeed-in-guaranteeing-a/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [There is a sad forgetfulness of Christian modesty, especially in the life and dress of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/there-is-a-sad-forgetfulness-of-christian-modesty-especially-in-the/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [Do you think that the Lord gave them to me for a decoration?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/do-you-think-that-the-lord-gave-them-to-me-for-a-decoration/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [To be conscious of one's weakness and to trust in God's help is the way to authentic strength and victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/to-be-conscious-of-one-s-weakness-and-to-trust-in-god-s-help-is-the/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [One thing is certain: When the time has come, nothing which is man-made will subsist. One day, all human accomplishments will be reduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/one-thing-is-certain-when-the-time-has-come-nothing-which-is-man-made/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [A woman by her very nature is maternal -- for every woman, whether ... married or unmarried, is called upon to be a biological,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/a-woman-by-her-very-nature-is-maternal-for-every-woman-whether/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [There is nothing more opposed to equality than identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/there-is-nothing-more-opposed-to-equality-than-identity/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [“One thing is certain: When the time has come, nothing which is man made will subsist. One day, all human accomplishments will be reduced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/one-thing-is-certain-when-the-time-has-come-nothing-which-is-man-made-2/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) [Explore all 17 Alice von Hildebrand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) ## More Absolute truth quotes > [“I know quite well why I became a historian… It was because dissension was frowned upon when I was a child: 'Don't argue, Claudia,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-know-quite-well-why-i-became-a-historian-it-was-because-dissension/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [“When you’ve tired of me,” she said softly, precisely, “Apollo will still be my brother. Will still be there for me.” “I’ll never tire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/when-you-ve-tired-of-me-she-said-softly-precisely-apollo-will-still/) [Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/) > [The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-bodily-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-from-the-dead-is-the-crowning/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) > [“I think adults forget just how much faith teenagers can have in them, just how willing to believe that adults, by virtue of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-think-adults-forget-just-how-much-faith-teenagers-can-have-in-them/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [The Absolute Truth of Knowledge is precisely non-Knowledge. If this Mirror called Knowledge remains in the phase where nothing is reflected in it, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/the-absolute-truth-of-knowledge-is-precisely-non-knowledge-if-this/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [Let every one of us cultivate, in every word that issues from our mouth, absolute truth. I say cultivate, because to very few people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/let-every-one-of-us-cultivate-in-every-word-that-issues-from-our/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Who can know what love means at the feet of the absolute truth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/who-can-know-what-love-means-at-the-feet-of-the-absolute-truth/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [When I say that a thing is true, I mean that I cannot help believing it... But...I do not venture to assume that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/when-i-say-that-a-thing-is-true-i-mean-that-i-cannot-help-believing/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Because God is spirit...I will seek intimate fellowship with Him. Because God is all-powerful...He can help me with anything. Because God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-william-r-bright/attributes-of-god-because-god-is-spirit-i-will-seek-intimate/) [Dr William R Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-william-r-bright/) > [“Somehow I feel that a person who thinks he has discovered the absolute truth will not be someone I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/somehow-i-feel-that-a-person-who-thinks-he-has-discovered-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“Leave science out of it and live in accordance with a non-scientific absolute truth. This has been the strategy of liberal humanism, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/leave-science-out-of-it-and-live-in-accordance-with-a-non-scientific/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [If I'd written all the truth I knew for the past ten years, about 600 people - including me - would be rotting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-i-d-written-all-the-truth-i-knew-for-the-past-ten-years-about-600/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Only when we realize that there is no eternal, unchanging truth or absolute truth can we arouse in ourselves a sense of intellectual responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hu-shih/only-when-we-realize-that-there-is-no-eternal-unchanging-truth-or/) [Hu Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hu-shih/) > [Nobody in this world possesses absolute truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/nobody-in-this-world-possesses-absolute-truth/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It isn’t the absolute truth about life and death, but the thing that helps us to live and confront the challenges of day-to-day life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-isn-t-the-absolute-truth-about-life-and-death-but-the-thing-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Browse all 317 Absolute truth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-truth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The world in which we now live is a world whose outlook is so distorted that we absolutize what is relative (money-making, power, success) and relativize what is absolute (truth, moral values, and God).”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice von Hildebrand" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-world-whose-outlook-is-so/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absolute truth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-world-whose-outlook-is-so/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/669/alice-von-hildebrand-30906_absolute-truth_the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-worl_1536167.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world in which we now live is a world whose outlook is so distorted that we absolutize what is relative…” — Alice von Hildebrand", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alice von Hildebrand", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The world in which we now...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-world-whose-outlook-is-so/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/the-world-in-which-we-now-live-is-a-world-whose-outlook-is-so/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```