--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've said this before - and I mean it…" description: "\"I've said this before - and I mean it strongly - an abstract concept or a moral issue has to be connected to feeling. If we don't believe it somehow vi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/anne-michaels-8376_abstract_i-ve-said-this-before-and-i-mean-it-stro_2345572.jpg" --- # I've said this before - and I mean it strongly - an… ![“I've said this before - and I mean it strongly - an abstract concept or a moral issue has to be connected to feeling. If we don't believe it somehow viscerally, we don't really take it in.” quote by Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/anne-michaels-8376_abstract_i-ve-said-this-before-and-i-mean-it-stro_2345572.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/anne-michaels-8376_abstract_i-ve-said-this-before-and-i-mean-it-stro_2345572.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/anne-michaels-8376_abstract_i-ve-said-this-before-and-i-mean-it-stro_2345572.jpg) > “I've said this before - and I mean it strongly - an abstract concept or a moral issue has to be connected to feeling. If we don't believe it somehow viscerally, we don't really take it in.” [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral ideas must be tied to visceral emotions; without feeling, abstract concepts remain detached and ineffective. **In simple terms:** Feelings make moral ideas real. Key Takeaway Connect abstract ideas to personal emotions. Themes ethics emotion connection authenticity Mood thoughtful empathetic introspective Type ethical psychological inspirational When to use this quote - education - public speaking - writing - activism - policy advocacy Key Concepts embodiment moral psychology empathy experiential learning Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure emotions support rather than distort moral reasoning? - What practices help you feel abstract concepts deeply? A Different Perspective Risk of emotional bias clouding rational judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Viscerally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-viscerally-5692066/) [Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept/) [Concept Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept-moral-236871/) [Connected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connected/) [Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-issue/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Somehow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somehow/) [Strongly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongly/) [Strongly Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongly-abstract-5692067/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) ## Related quotes > [Now, we don't really believe these things - intellectually we know better - but we believe them viscerally, and live by them, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/now-we-don-t-really-believe-these-things-intellectually-we-know/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Love is not an intellectual concept or a moral imperative or anything else. 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