Barbarism Quote by George Santayana
“Since barbarism has its pleasures it naturally has its apologists.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Life of Reason, 1905
Barbarism offers pleasure, attracting defenders who rationalize it.
In simple terms: Pleasure can justify cruelty.
Key Takeaway
Question moral justifications.
Themes
ethics
pleasure
justification
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- political rhetoric
- media propaganda
- cultural traditions
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people defend harmful practices?
- What alternatives replace barbaric pleasure?
A Different Perspective
May ignore systemic causes.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[Much] as war attracts me and fascinates my mind with its tremendous situations, I feel more deeply every year . . . what vile and wicked folly and barbarism it all is.” quote by Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e15/winston-churchill-95_barbarism_much-as-war-attracts-me-and-fascinates-m_68452.jpg)
