Character Quote by Bertrand Russell
““Ages of prolonged uncertainty, while they are compatible with the highest degree of saintliness in a few, are inimical to the prosaic every-day virtues of respectable citizens. There seems no use in thrift, when tomorrow all your savings may be dissipated; no advantage in honesty, when the man towards whom you practise it is pretty sure to swindle you; no point in steadfast adherence to the cause, when no cause is important or has a chance of stable victory; no argument in favour of truthfulness, when only supple tergiversation makes the preservation of life and fortune possible. The man whose virtue has no source except a purely terrestrial prudence will in such a world, become an adventurer if he has the courage, and, if not, will seek obscurity as a timid time-server.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Conquest of Happiness, 1930
He argues that in uncertain times, traditional virtues lose practical value, and survival may demand moral compromise.
In simple terms: Virtues may falter under uncertainty; survival may need flexibility.
Key Takeaway
Adapt ethics to reality while seeking integrity.
Themes
ethics
uncertainty
survival
virtue
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- politics
- business
- personal crises
- war zones
Key Concepts
pragmatism
moral relativism
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you prioritize survival over principle?
- How to balance virtue with practicality?
A Different Perspective
Virtues can erode when survival is at stake.
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
