---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a time when a lot of principle…"
description: "\"It's a time when a lot of principle virtues are being tested. Do we still believe in the truth? Do we still believe in empathy? Do we still believe the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/george-saunders-317_abandon_it-s-a-time-when-a-lot-of-principle-virt_243140.jpg"
---

#  It's a time when a lot of principle virtues are being…

![“It's a time when a lot of principle virtues are being tested. Do we still believe in the truth? Do we still believe in empathy? Do we still believe the protection of the weakest among us? These are yes or no questions, but the means of communication is all tied up with those virtues and you can't…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/george-saunders-317_abandon_it-s-a-time-when-a-lot-of-principle-virt_243140.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/george-saunders-317_abandon_it-s-a-time-when-a-lot-of-principle-virt_243140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/george-saunders-317_abandon_it-s-a-time-when-a-lot-of-principle-virt_243140.jpg)

> “It's a time when a lot of principle virtues are being tested. Do we still believe in the truth? Do we still believe in empathy? Do we still believe the protection of the weakest among us? These are yes or no questions, but the means of communication is all tied up with those virtues and you can't abandon those virtues as you pursue them.”

[George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote questions how contemporary society tests core moral values like truth, empathy, and protecting the vulnerable, especially through modern communication.

**In simple terms:** Society challenges basic virtues via communication.

Key Takeaway

Reaffirm and protect core virtues despite media complexity.

Themes

ethics media social responsibility

Mood

concerned reflective

Type

philosophical social commentary

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- social media platforms
- community activism
- journalism
- public policy

Key Concepts

virtue ethics digital communication civic duty

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we ensure communication upholds empathy and truth?
- What safeguards protect the weakest in digital spaces?

A Different Perspective

Virtues can be compromised by the very tools meant to uphold them.

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[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Means of communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-of-communication/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) [Yes or no](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yes-or-no/)

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> [Writing and cookery are just two different means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/writing-and-cookery-are-just-two-different-means-of-communication/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [The more wonderful the means of communication, the more trivial, tawdry, or depressing its contents seemed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-more-wonderful-the-means-of-communication-the-more-trivial-tawdry/)

[Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/)

> [For it is a curious fact that though human beings have such imperfect means of communication, that they can only say 'good to eat'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-it-is-a-curious-fact-that-though-human-beings-have-such-imperfect/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [Art must unquestionably have a social value; that is, as a potential means of communication it must be addressed, and in comprehensible terms, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockwell-kent/art-must-unquestionably-have-a-social-value-that-is-as-a-potential/)

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> [The burgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all nations into civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-burgeoisie-by-the-rapid-improvement-of-all-instruments-of/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

## More by George Saunders

> [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/)

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[Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

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Browse all 1,142 Abandon quotes

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