--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want character but without unyielding…" description: "\"“We want character but without unyielding conviction; we want strong morality, but without the emotional burden of guilt or shame; we want virtue but w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/james-davison-hunter-19534_authority_we-want-character-but-without-unyielding_328021.jpg" --- # We want character but without unyielding conviction; we… ![“We want character but without unyielding conviction; we want strong morality, but without the emotional burden of guilt or shame; we want virtue but without particular moral justifications that invariably offend; we want good without having to name evil; we want decency without the moral authority…” quote by James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/james-davison-hunter-19534_authority_we-want-character-but-without-unyielding_328021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/james-davison-hunter-19534_authority_we-want-character-but-without-unyielding_328021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/james-davison-hunter-19534_authority_we-want-character-but-without-unyielding_328021.jpg) > ““We want character but without unyielding conviction; we want strong morality, but without the emotional burden of guilt or shame; we want virtue but without particular moral justifications that invariably offend; we want good without having to name evil; we want decency without the moral authority to insist upon it; we want moral community without any limitations to personal freedom. In short, we want what we cannot have on the terms that we want it.”” [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage critiques the desire for moral ideals that are free of the responsibilities and constraints that normally accompany them, exposing a contradictory yearning for unattainable purity. **In simple terms:** People want moral virtues without the burdens they bring. Key Takeaway Accept that moral goodness includes responsibility. Themes ethics philosophy human nature freedom responsibility Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical critical When to use this quote - political debate - personal decision‑making - community building Key Concepts moral relativism idealism social contract Questions to Reflect On - What costs are you willing to bear for your values? - How do you balance freedom with moral duty? A Different Perspective Idealizing morality without accountability can lead to hypocrisy or inaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Decency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decency/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-authority/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Personal freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-freedom/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Unyielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unyielding/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Social movements rarely succeed if they violate our gut sense of decency and moral proportion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/social-movements-rarely-succeed-if-they-violate-our-gut-sense-of/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [“You think you're superior to the others, don't you? We'll you're not. In fact you're worse for mistaking basic human decency for moral superiority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/you-think-you-re-superior-to-the-others-don-t-you-we-ll-you-re-not-in/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [There is a minimum requirement of morality, of moral compass, of decency, of moral empathy. And if you are incapable of meeting that minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-navarro/there-is-a-minimum-requirement-of-morality-of-moral-compass-of/) [Ana Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-navarro/) > [I hate purity, I hate goodness! I don't want virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/i-hate-purity-i-hate-goodness-i-don-t-want-virtue-to-exist-anywhere-i/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [There's no credit in not doing what you don't want to do. 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The people do not want virtue, but are the dupes of pretended patriots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbridge-gerry/the-evils-we-experience-flow-from-the-excess-of-democracy-the-people/) [Elbridge Gerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbridge-gerry/) > [Want of punctuality is a want of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murray-mason/want-of-punctuality-is-a-want-of-virtue/) James Murray Mason > [The problem with a lot of movies when it comes to race is that they want to be moral, and they want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-morris/the-problem-with-a-lot-of-movies-when-it-comes-to-race-is-that-they/) [Wesley Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-morris/) > [When we start deceiving ourselves into thinking not that we want something... but that it is a moral imperative that we have it, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/when-we-start-deceiving-ourselves-into-thinking-not-that-we-want/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Keep feeling the need for being first. 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