Animosity Quote by Charles Dickens
““Always something in the nature of a Boil upon the face of society, Mr. Honeythunder expanded into an inflammatory Wen in Minor Canon Corner. Though it was not literally true, as was facetiously charged against him by public unbelievers, that he called aloud to his fellow-creatures: ‘Curse your souls and bodies, come here and be blessed!’ still his philanthropy was of that gunpowderous sort that the difference between it and animosity was hard to determine. You were to abolish military force, but you were first to bring all commanding officers who had done their duty, to trial by court-martial for that offence, and shoot them. You were to abolish war, but were to make converts by making war upon them, and charging them with loving war as the apple of their eye. You were to have no capital punishment, but were first to sweep off the face of the earth all legislators, jurists, and judges, who were of the contrary opinion. You were to have universal concord, and were to get it by eliminating all the people who wouldn’t, or conscientiously couldn’t, be concordant. You were to love your brother as yourself, but after an indefinite interval of maligning him (very much as if you hated him), and calling him all manner of names.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens, 1836
A satirical critique of hypocrisy where attempts to abolish evils lead to new forms of oppression and violence.
In simple terms: Efforts to end wrongdoing can create more injustice.
Beware unintended consequences of reforms.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- legal reform
- military disarmament
- capital punishment abolition
- peace movements
- social engineering
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we pursue justice without creating new oppression?
- What safeguards prevent reform from becoming tyranny?
Idealistic goals may be undermined by violent enforcement.