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Cases Quote by George Bernard Shaw

“The moment we face it frankly we are driven to the conclusion that the community has a right to put a price on the right to live in it ... If people are fit to live, let them live under decent human conditions. If they are not fit to live, kill them in a decent human way. Is it any wonder that…” quote by George Bernard Shaw
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“The moment we face it frankly we are driven to the conclusion that the community has a right to put a price on the right to live in it ... If people are fit to live, let them live under decent human conditions. If they are not fit to live, kill them in a decent human way. Is it any wonder that some of us are driven to prescribe the lethal chamber as the solution for the hard cases which are at present made the excuse for dragging all the other cases down to their level, and the only solution that will create a sense of full social responsibility in modern populations?”

George Bernard Shaw

About This Quote

Source Play: Man and Superman, 1905

Society must decide who deserves life, balancing dignity with practicality.

In simple terms: Society must weigh life value and humane treatment.

Key Takeaway

Consider ethical implications of life‑ending policies.

Themes

ethics society human rights

Mood

serious contemplative

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

  • healthcare policy
  • legal debates
  • end‑of‑life care

Key Concepts

utilitarianism bioethics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What criteria define a “fit” life?
  • How protect we prevent abuse of such decisions?
A Different Perspective

Moral judgments can be subjective and biased.

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