--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can an idea a notion as abstract as…" description: "\"Can an idea a notion as abstract as Relativism produce by itself the effects alleged? cause all the harm, destroy all the lives and reputations? I am a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/jacques-barzun-3251_abstract_can-an-idea-a-notion-as-abstract-as-rela_2930176.jpg" --- # Can an idea a notion as abstract as Relativism produce by… ![“Can an idea a notion as abstract as Relativism produce by itself the effects alleged? cause all the harm, destroy all the lives and reputations? I am as far as anyone can be from denying the power of ideas in history, but the suggestion that a philosophy (as Relativism is often called) has…” quote by Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/jacques-barzun-3251_abstract_can-an-idea-a-notion-as-abstract-as-rela_2930176.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/jacques-barzun-3251_abstract_can-an-idea-a-notion-as-abstract-as-rela_2930176.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/jacques-barzun-3251_abstract_can-an-idea-a-notion-as-abstract-as-rela_2930176.jpg) > “Can an idea a notion as abstract as Relativism produce by itself the effects alleged? cause all the harm, destroy all the lives and reputations? I am as far as anyone can be from denying the power of ideas in history, but the suggestion that a philosophy (as Relativism is often called) has perverted millions and debased daily life is on the face of it absurd. No idea working alone has ever demoralized society, and there have been plenty of ideas simpler and more exciting than Relativism.” [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas alone cannot cause societal harm; they need actors and institutions to enact consequences. **In simple terms:** Ideas need people to act on them. Key Takeaway Examine how ideas are applied, not just their content. Themes philosophy responsibility societal impact Mood critical analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political discourse - education curricula - media narratives - public policy - academic debate Key Concepts relativism ideology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do institutions amplify or mitigate an idea's impact? - Can a philosophy be inherently harmful? A Different Perspective Ideas may be misused, but blaming the concept alone oversimplifies complex causality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Abstract Relativism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract-relativism-4314619/) [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Daily life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-life/) [Demoralized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demoralized/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Exciting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exciting/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [No idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-idea/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Relativism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-relativism-4314617/) [Plenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plenty/) [Power of ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-ideas/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Relativism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativism/) [Relativism Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativism-called-4314618/) [Relativism Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativism-produce-4314620/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Suggestions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestions/) [Working alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-alone/) ## Related quotes > [We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage… Unless we can make the philosophic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/we-must-make-the-building-of-a-free-society-once-more-an-intellectual/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Our work has only begun. 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Lee Iacocca Love is the irresistible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-can-have-brilliant-ideas-but-if-you-can-t-get-them-across-your/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Our best ideas come from clerks and stockboys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/our-best-ideas-come-from-clerks-and-stockboys/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [I believe in the power of ideas. I believe in the power of sharing knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/i-believe-in-the-power-of-ideas-i-believe-in-the-power-of-sharing/) [Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/) > [After years of telling corporate citizens to 'trust the system,' many companies must relearn instead to trust their people - and encourage their people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosabeth-moss-kanter/after-years-of-telling-corporate-citizens-to-trust-the-system-many/) [Rosabeth Moss Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosabeth-moss-kanter/) > [“If you default, if you don’t reach any firm convictions, your subconscious is programmed by chance—and you deliver yourself into the power of ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/if-you-default-if-you-don-t-reach-any-firm-convictions-your/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Jacques Barzun > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [It seems a long time since the morning mail could be called correspondence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/it-seems-a-long-time-since-the-morning-mail-could-be-called/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/teaching-is-not-a-lost-art-but-the-regard-for-it-is-a-lost-tradition/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The reason why research is like sculpting from memory is that in neither is there a concrete visible subject to copy directly. 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But as soon as somebody or something stands out as Excellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/everybody-keeps-calling-for-excellence-excellence-not-just-in/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Bernard Shaw remains the only model we have of what the citizen of a democracy should be: an informed participant in all things we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/bernard-shaw-remains-the-only-model-we-have-of-what-the-citizen-of-a/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The ascetic is often a sensualist who has reached the limit of his capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-ascetic-is-often-a-sensualist-who-has-reached-the-limit-of-his/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Idealism springs from deep feelings, but feelings are nothing without the formulated idea that keeps them whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/idealism-springs-from-deep-feelings-but-feelings-are-nothing-without/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/in-teaching-you-cannot-see-the-fruit-of-a-day-s-work-it-is-invisible/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The mind tends to run along the groove of one's intention and overlook the actual expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-mind-tends-to-run-along-the-groove-of-one-s-intention-and/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Vanity is a static thing. It puts it faith in what it has, and is easily wounded. 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