--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a strange taboo in our society…" description: "\"There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiqu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg" --- # There is a strange taboo in our society against ending… ![“There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiquette is that you must begin in ignorance & persevere in the face of knowledge, & though I naturally believe that this is profoundly wrong it's not…” quote by Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg) > “There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiquette is that you must begin in ignorance & persevere in the face of knowledge, & though I naturally believe that this is profoundly wrong it's not nice to go around constantly offending people.” [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often feel compelled to continue pursuits—relationships, projects, dialogues—simply because abandoning them feels socially improper, even when they become harmful or unfulfilling. **In simple terms:** Social pressure to persist despite discomfort. Key Takeaway Perseverance can be misguided when driven by etiquette. Themes social norms commitment discomfort ethical decision‑making personal growth Mood reflective critical cautious Type philosophical observational cautionary When to use this quote - ending a toxic relationship - leaving a dead‑end job - discontinuing a draining conversation - stopping a harmful habit - withdrawing from a socially expected role Key Concepts taboo ignorance knowledge perseverance Practical Applications - coaching on healthy boundaries - guidance for ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - When does persistence become harmful? - How can we honor honesty over etiquette? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending/) [Etiquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/etiquette/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Persevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-persevere-954327/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love & life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-life-2/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Offending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offending/) [Offending People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offending-people-954326/) [Our society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-society/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persevere/) [Pleasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasant/) [Society Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-ending-954325/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-taboo-954328/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) ## Related quotes > [You can't always worry about offending people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/you-can-t-always-worry-about-offending-people/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [I like offending people, because I think people who get offended should be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-like-offending-people-because-i-think-people-who-get-offended/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [I don't want to go about offending people; that's not my plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-don-t-want-to-go-about-offending-people-that-s-not-my-plan/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I don't like offending people, and it's easy to offend people when you don't know as much as they do. This group knows more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-like-offending-people-and-it-s-easy-to-offend-people-when-you/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [A lot of people are too easily offended. Religious people, for instance. They've been offending other people for centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/a-lot-of-people-are-too-easily-offended-religious-people-for-instance/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [There is a demographic catastrophe happening in Europe that nobody wants to talk about, that we daren't bring up because we are so cagey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/there-is-a-demographic-catastrophe-happening-in-europe-that-nobody/) [John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/) > [At times, to make progress, you end up offending people. And people were offended by many things I have done over the years. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-charney/at-times-to-make-progress-you-end-up-offending-people-and-people-were/) [Dov Charney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-charney/) > [If you are not offending people, then you are not an evangelist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-you-are-not-offending-people-then-you-are-not-an-evangelist/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I don't see myself as offending people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-don-t-see-myself-as-offending-people/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [If you are not offending people who ought to be offended, you're doing something wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-are-not-offending-people-who-ought-to-be-offended-you-re-doing/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It's impossible to go through life not offending people. All you have to do is basically have an opinion on anything, and you're gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-impossible-to-go-through-life-not-offending-people-all-you-have/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Worrying about offending people drags us back to the lowest common denominator Our enemies are not the digital bits that dance across our screens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-gladstone/worrying-about-offending-people-drags-us-back-to-the-lowest-common/) [Brooke Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-gladstone/) > [I don't care about offending people. That just doesn't excite me. There are some comics that love it and they love pushing the boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-bargatze/i-don-t-care-about-offending-people-that-just-doesn-t-excite-me-there/) [Nate Bargatze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-bargatze/) > [I delight in offending people. I think the grievance brigade, victimhood, the idea that hurt feelings are some kind of special currency - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-delight-in-offending-people-i-think-the-grievance-brigade/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) ## More by Helen DeWitt > [“When a human being develops an argument, when a human being attempts not only to think but to speak with precision, he or she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/when-a-human-being-develops-an-argument-when-a-human-being-attempts/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“I wish you wouldn't say the first thing that comes into your head, Ludo. There is an obvious difference between someone who works within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/i-wish-you-wouldn-t-say-the-first-thing-that-comes-into-your-head/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“So Lucille pressed the button, and a panel slid open in the wall, and the transporter came through, and sure enough here was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/so-lucille-pressed-the-button-and-a-panel-slid-open-in-the-wall-and/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“In her excitement at the idea of just walking out the door she had walked out the door without stopping to practice and without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/in-her-excitement-at-the-idea-of-just-walking-out-the-door-she-had/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“Sometimes I rode the Circle Line reading a book on organic chemistry and sometimes I read Leave It to Psmith for the 20th or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/sometimes-i-rode-the-circle-line-reading-a-book-on-organic-chemistry/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [The master swordsman isn't interested in killing people. He only wants to perfect his art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/the-master-swordsman-isn-t-interested-in-killing-people-he-only-wants/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“I thought suddenly Look. If Kambei had stopped recruiting when the first samurai didn’t work out a 205-minute masterpiece of modern cinema would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/i-thought-suddenly-look-if-kambei-had-stopped-recruiting-when-the/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [The typical review makes a Teletubby look like a sabre-toothed tiger. You can economize by reading online rather than squandering $4.95, yes, but all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/the-typical-review-makes-a-teletubby-look-like-a-sabre-toothed-tiger/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [Perhaps this is the root of all evil, that gardeners are not put in charge of our schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/perhaps-this-is-the-root-of-all-evil-that-gardeners-are-not-put-in/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“Yamamoto said he thought you had to be able to hear how something did not work as part of a bigger thing to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/yamamoto-said-he-thought-you-had-to-be-able-to-hear-how-something-did/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“Something looked through my grandfather's eyes. It said Being an accountant, it's not the end of the world. Something looked at my Uncle Danny.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/something-looked-through-my-grandfather-s-eyes-it-said-being-an/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [There are people who think contraception is immoral because the object of copulation is procreation. In a similar way there are people who think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-are-people-who-think-contraception-is-immoral-because-the/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“Indolence, interruption, business, and pleasure; all take their turns of retardation….Perhaps no extensive and multifarious performance, said Sib, was ever effected within the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/indolence-interruption-business-and-pleasure-all-take-their-turns-of/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“If you were at school they would not let you read a book like this, they would keep you from reading it by involving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/if-you-were-at-school-they-would-not-let-you-read-a-book-like-this/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [I once read somewhere that Sean Connery left school at the age of 13 and later went on to read Proust and Finnegans Wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/i-once-read-somewhere-that-sean-connery-left-school-at-the-age-of-13/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) [Explore all 32 Helen DeWitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiquette is that you must begin in ignorance & persevere in the face of knowledge, & though I naturally believe that this is profoundly wrong it's not nice to go around constantly offending people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen DeWitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society-against-ending-something/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society-against-ending-something/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/helen-dewitt-19555_believe_there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society_73071.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life…” — Helen DeWitt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Helen DeWitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a strange taboo in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society-against-ending-something/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society-against-ending-something/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```