Appetite Quote by Baruch Spinoza
![“Laws which can be broken without any wrong to one's neighbor are a laughing-stock; and such laws, instead of restraining the appetites and lusts of mankind, serve rather to heighten them. Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata [we always resist prohibitions, and yearn for what is denied us].” quote by Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b9/baruch-spinoza-1338_appetite_laws-which-can-be-broken-without-any-wro_1425059.jpg)
“Laws which can be broken without any wrong to one's neighbor are a laughing-stock; and such laws, instead of restraining the appetites and lusts of mankind, serve rather to heighten them. Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata [we always resist prohibitions, and yearn for what is denied us].”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Ethics, Part I, 1677
Laws that cannot harm others yet are broken for amusement actually increase desire, not restrain it.
In simple terms: Bad laws boost desire.
Key Takeaway
Question unjust laws.
Themes
law
morality
human nature
desire
society
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- legal reform
- education
- public policy
- personal conduct
- civic engagement
Key Concepts
philosophy
ethics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people cherish forbidden things?
- How can societies redesign laws to reduce temptation?
A Different Perspective
Such laws may reflect deeper cultural values that resist change.
