Children Quote by Douglas Wilson
““There is no virtue or vice in a transitive verb, everything depends on the direct object. 'I LOVE' could be virtuous or not - you could love ice cream, Jesus, child porn, my country, hurting people, the lust of the flesh. Love is not an automatic virtue. Hatred is not an automatic vice. What's the direct object? from Debate In The Age Of The Glitter-Bomb in The City, Fall 2013.””
About This Quote
Source Debate: In The Age Of The Glitter-Bomb, The City, Fall 2013
The moral value of an action depends on its object, not merely the verb; love and hatred are neutral without context.
In simple terms: Actions are judged by what they target, not the verb itself.
Key Takeaway
Consider the object before judging the act.
Themes
ethics
language
context
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- political discourse
- media criticism
Key Concepts
moral relativism
semantic analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your love or hatred aim at?
- How does context change moral judgment?
A Different Perspective
The nuance of intent can be overlooked when focusing only on the verb.
