Approval Quote by J. Budziszewski
“As any sin passes through its stages from temptation, to toleration, to approval, its name is first euphemized, then avoided, then forgotten. A colleague tells me that some of his fellow legal scholars call child molestation "intergenerational intimacy": that's euphemism. A good-hearted editor tried to talk me out of using the term "sodomy": that's avoidance. My students don't know the word "fornication" at all: that's forgetfulness.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Moral Reasoning in the Legal Profession, J. Budziszewski, 2015
Words describing wrongdoing become softened, ignored, or erased as society normalizes the act, obscuring its moral gravity.
In simple terms: Euphemisms hide the true nature of sins.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and name wrongdoing plainly.
Themes
ethics
language
social norms
morality
law
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
ethical
When to use this quote
- legal education
- public policy
- media discourse
- teaching ethics
Key Concepts
euphemism
cognitive dissonance
normalization
Questions to Reflect On
- How does language shape our perception of wrongdoing?
- When is softened language justified?
A Different Perspective
Euphemisms can also protect victims by reducing stigma, complicating the issue.
![“Well let me tell you what [High School Musical] is really about. High School Musical is about this group of boys who are all being molested by the basketball coach, who is Zac Efron's dad. It's about them struggling to cope with this molestation. And they have these little girlfriends, who are…” quote by Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9a9/megan-fox-1243_basketball_well-let-me-tell-you-what-high-school-mu_587013.jpg)
