Cybersecurity Quote by George Eliot
““The sense of security more frequently springs from habit than from conviction, and for this reason it often subsists after such a change in the conditions as might have been expected to suggest alarm. The lapse of time during which a given event has not happened, is, in this logic of habit, constantly alleged as a reason why the event should never happen, even when the lapse of time is precisely the added condition which makes the event imminent. A man will tell you that he has worked in a mine for forty years unhurt by an accident as a reason why he should apprehend no danger, though the roof is beginning to sink; and it is often observable that, the older a man gets, the more difficult it is to him to retain a believing conception of his own death.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Middlemarch by George Eliot, 1871
Habit often masquerades as safety, making us ignore real risks even when conditions change.
In simple terms: Habit can give false security.
Question habitual safety assumptions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- workplace safety
- personal health
- financial planning
- environmental risk
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you rely on habit over evidence?
- How can you test safety assumptions?
Habit may blind us to warning signs.