Attention Quote by George Bernard Shaw
“The notion that persons should be safe from extermination as long as they do not commit willful murder, or levy war against the Crown, or kidnap, or throw vitriol, is not only to limit social responsibility unnecessarily, and to privilege the large range of intolerable misconduct that lies outside them, but to divert attention from the essential justification for extermination, which is always incorrigible social incompatibility and nothing else.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Man and Superman, 1903
The quote argues that safety from death should be limited to those who avoid serious crimes, but this restriction is a false moral shield that hides the true reason for killing: perceived social incompatibility.
In simple terms: Safety from death is only for those who don’t commit major crimes, yet this hides the real motive of social incompatibility.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hidden justifications for violence.
Themes
ethics
justice
social control
violence
law
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- legal debates
- policy making
- human rights advocacy
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Moral philosophy
social contract
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria truly define social incompatibility?
- How can societies prevent misuse of such justifications?
A Different Perspective
It assumes incompatibility can be objectively judged, which is often subjective and biased.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
