Acting Quote by Jane Addams
“Our conceptions of morality, as all our other ideas, pass through a course of development; the difficulty comes in adjusting our conduct, which has become hardened into customs and habits, to these changing moral conceptions. When this adjustment is not made, we suffer from the strain and indecision of believing one hypothesis and acting upon another.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Twenty Years at Hull House by Jane Addams, 1910
Moral ideas evolve, but habits stay fixed, causing tension when actions don’t match new ethics.
In simple terms: Changing morals clash with old habits.
Align actions with updated values.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- policy reform
- community leadership
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies ease the transition from old customs to new ethics?
- What personal strategies help reconcile belief and behavior?
Adjusting deep‑rooted habits is slow and resisted.