--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hope that George doesn't internalize…" description: "\"I hope that George doesn't internalize her scare tactics. I want to argue with her, tell her that \"sins of the flesh\" is just a control mechanism -- if..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/david-levithan-67_arguing_i-hope-that-george-doesn-t-internalize-h_3011531.jpg" --- # I hope that George doesn't internalize her scare tactics… ![“I hope that George doesn't internalize her scare tactics. I want to argue with her, tell her that "sins of the flesh" is just a control mechanism -- if you demonize a person's pleasure, then you can control his or her life. I can't say how many times this tool has been wielded against me, in a…” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/david-levithan-67_arguing_i-hope-that-george-doesn-t-internalize-h_3011531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/david-levithan-67_arguing_i-hope-that-george-doesn-t-internalize-h_3011531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a6/david-levithan-67_arguing_i-hope-that-george-doesn-t-internalize-h_3011531.jpg) > “I hope that George doesn't internalize her scare tactics. I want to argue with her, tell her that "sins of the flesh" is just a control mechanism -- if you demonize a person's pleasure, then you can control his or her life. I can't say how many times this tool has been wielded against me, in a variety of forms. But I see no sin in a kiss. I only see sin in the condemnation.” [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Control often masquerades as moral condemnation; true freedom lies in embracing pleasure without shame. **In simple terms:** Condemnation restricts joy; freedom embraces it. Key Takeaway Reject shame‑based control. Themes freedom sexuality power self‑acceptance Mood defiant hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - personal boundaries - social activism Key Concepts control mechanisms ethical autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance desire with ethical considerations? - What strategies protect you from manipulative moral judgments? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on pleasure may neglect responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Condemnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condemnation/) [Flesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flesh/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Kiss Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kiss-sin-3950091/) [Kissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kissing/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Scare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scare/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sin Condemnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-condemnation-3950090/) [Sin Kiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-kiss-1959537/) [Sins Flesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins-flesh-830520/) [Tactics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tactics/) [Tell Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-sins-929323/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [I see no sin in a kiss. I only see sin in the condemnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-see-no-sin-in-a-kiss-i-only-see-sin-in-the-condemnation/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I want to argue with her, tell her that "sins of the flesh" is just a control mechanism-if you demonize a person's pleasure, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-want-to-argue-with-her-tell-her-that-sins-of-the-flesh-is-just-a/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [If all the sins of the flesh are worthy of condemnation because by them man allows himself to be dominated by that which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/if-all-the-sins-of-the-flesh-are-worthy-of-condemnation-because-by/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [The sick do not ask if the hand that smoothes their pillow is pure, nor the dying care if the lips that touch their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-sick-do-not-ask-if-the-hand-that-smoothes-their-pillow-is-pure/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“So, the whole reason you feel “condemned” all the time could simply be your failure to accept and embrace what is written in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown-2/so-the-whole-reason-you-feel-condemned-all-the-time-could-simply-be/) [Michael L Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown-2/) > [To say of shame - what is it? Of virtue - we can miss it; Of sin-we can kiss it, And it's no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/to-say-of-shame-what-is-it-of-virtue-we-can-miss-it-of-sin-we-can/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“to make public atonement. There was a God who called upon men to tell their sins to earth as well as to heaven. Nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-make-public-atonement-there-was-a-god-who-called-upon-men-to-tell/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“S is for sins. What is a sin? At Catechism, she was taught to repeat, 'Sin is an offence against reason, truth and right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chika-unigwe/s-is-for-sins-what-is-a-sin-at-catechism-she-was-taught-to-repeat-sin/) [Chika Unigwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chika-unigwe/) > [If the sins of the flesh ever got old I didn't ever want enough years on me to know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lawrence/if-the-sins-of-the-flesh-ever-got-old-i-didn-t-ever-want-enough-years/) [Mark Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lawrence/) > [The ragamuffin gospel reveals that Jesus forgives sins, including the sins of the flesh; that He is comfortable with sinners who remember how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-ragamuffin-gospel-reveals-that-jesus-forgives-sins-including-the/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so are the sins of all flesh as compared with the mind of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/as-a-handful-of-sand-thrown-into-the-ocean-so-are-the-sins-of-all/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) > [Among adults there are few saved because of sins of the flesh. With the exception of those who die in childhood, most men will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-remigius/among-adults-there-are-few-saved-because-of-sins-of-the-flesh-with/) [Saint Remigius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-remigius/) > [Sins of the flesh are nothing. They are maladies for physicians to cure, if they should be cured. Sins of the soul alone are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sins-of-the-flesh-are-nothing-they-are-maladies-for-physicians-to/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Jealousy ... is an affliction of the spirit which, unlike some sins of the flesh, gives no one any pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-spark/jealousy-is-an-affliction-of-the-spirit-which-unlike-some-sins-of-the/) [Muriel Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-spark/) > [“Jesus came to give his righteousness not to condemn the unrighteous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-canoza/jesus-came-to-give-his-righteousness-not-to-condemn-the-unrighteous/) [Mac Canoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-canoza/) ## More by David Levithan > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hope that George doesn't internalize her scare tactics. I want to argue with her, tell her that \"sins of the flesh\" is just a control mechanism -- if you demonize a person's pleasure, then you can control his or her life. 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