--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To the modern spirit, disillusioned, or…" description: "\"To the modern spirit, disillusioned, or at least unillusioned, the great evil to be avoided is sentimentality.\" — Irwin Edman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/irwin-edman-34030_avoided_to-the-modern-spirit-disillusioned-or-at_998923.png" --- # To the modern spirit, disillusioned, or at least… ![“To the modern spirit, disillusioned, or at least unillusioned, the great evil to be avoided is sentimentality.” quote by Irwin Edman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/irwin-edman-34030_avoided_to-the-modern-spirit-disillusioned-or-at_998923.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/irwin-edman-34030_avoided_to-the-modern-spirit-disillusioned-or-at_998923.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/irwin-edman-34030_avoided_to-the-modern-spirit-disillusioned-or-at_998923.png) > “To the modern spirit, disillusioned, or at least unillusioned, the great evil to be avoided is sentimentality.” [Irwin Edman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-edman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sentimentality blinds rational thought; avoiding it preserves clarity and moral strength. **In simple terms:** Beware of excessive sentiment. Key Takeaway Cultivate rational, balanced perspective. Themes sentimentality modernity ethics Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political discourse - personal decision‑making Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is sentiment useful? - How to balance feeling and reason? A Different Perspective Emotion can motivate positive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoided/) [Avoided Sentimentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoided-sentimentality-2094736/) [Disillusioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disillusioned/) [Disillusioned Unillusioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disillusioned-unillusioned-2094738/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Avoided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-avoided-2094739/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Mysticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysticism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sentimentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimentality/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit Disillusioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-disillusioned-2094737/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [Work is a necessary evil to be avoided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/work-is-a-necessary-evil-to-be-avoided/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If a man devotes himself to art, much evil is avoided that happens otherwise if one is idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/if-a-man-devotes-himself-to-art-much-evil-is-avoided-that-happens/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [The whole economy of this lower world proves that it is by labor and perseverance only that good is obtained and evil is avoided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/the-whole-economy-of-this-lower-world-proves-that-it-is-by-labor-and/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [“Everyone knows that evil should be avoided wherever possible; few actually know where it is possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/everyone-knows-that-evil-should-be-avoided-wherever-possible-few/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [Experience proves that none is so cruel as the disillusioned sentimentalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-proves-that-none-is-so-cruel-as-the-disillusioned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it. 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