Conscience Quote by Elbert Hubbard
“If we cannot be powerful and happy and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art of Living, 1905
Power without conscience leads to self‑destruction; we create moral rules to avoid harming ourselves.
In simple terms: We make conscience to avoid hurting ourselves.
Key Takeaway
Question your motives before imposing rules.
Themes
ethics
power
self‑control
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- politics
- personal relationships
- leadership
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you impose rules to protect others or yourself?
- How does power affect moral choices?
A Different Perspective
Conscience can be rationalized to justify harmful actions.
![“[D]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without a conscience a man may never be said to grow old. This is an age of very old young men.” quote by Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/076/hesketh-pearson-35291_age_d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-w_14010.jpg)
