Animal cruelty Quote by George Bernard Shaw
“Cruelty must be whitewashed by a moral excuse, and pretense of reluctance.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Man and Superman, 1903
Moral rationalizations hide cruelty, making it socially acceptable.
In simple terms: Excuses disguise cruelty.
Key Takeaway
Question motives behind moral justifications.
Themes
ethics
hypocrisy
social behavior
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political rhetoric
- media criticism
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What excuses do you accept?
- How do you confront hidden cruelty?
A Different Perspective
Excuses can be persuasive, but may also be challenged.
![“I had bought two male chimps from a primate colony in Holland. They lived next to each other in separate cages for several months before I used one as a [heart] donor. When we put him to sleep in his cage in preparation for the operation, he chattered and cried incessantly. We attached no…” quote by Christiaan Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3b9/christiaan-barnard-39607_animal_i-had-bought-two-male-chimps-from-a-prim_126559.jpg)
![“One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and not be held responsible. [Cultural Factors in the Cause of Pathological Homicide. Bulletin of Menninger Clinic ]” quote by Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2f6/margaret-mead-982_animal-cruelty_one-of-the-most-dangerous-things-that-ca_126314.jpg)
