---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faithfulness is a social not a biological…"
description: "\"Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.\" — Jenny Holzer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png"
---

#  Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.

![“Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.” quote by Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png)

> “Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.”

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Faithfulness is governed by social expectations, not biological imperatives.

**In simple terms:** Loyalty is a social construct.

Key Takeaway

Question societal norms of fidelity.

Themes

relationships social norms loyalty

Mood

analytical provocative

Type

artistic philosophical

When to use this quote

- marriage counseling
- team dynamics
- community building
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What social rules shape your loyalty?
- Can fidelity be redefined?

A Different Perspective

May ignore biological influences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Faithfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faithfulness/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/)

## Related quotes

> [War is a biological necessity of the first importance, a regulative element in the life of mankind which cannot be dispensed with. ... But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-von-bernhardi/war-is-a-biological-necessity-of-the-first-importance-a-regulative/)

Friedrich von Bernhardi

> [“If we are to talk in the language of social constructions, then the construction of the very concepts of the social and the biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-riley/if-we-are-to-talk-in-the-language-of-social-constructions-then-the/)

Denise Riley

> [We have to shift our understanding of ourselves as separate individuals, each seeking our own welfare, to an understanding of how we fit into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-ornstein/we-have-to-shift-our-understanding-of-ourselves-as-separate/)

[Robert E. Ornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-ornstein/)

> [To be rapeable, a position that is social, not biological, defines what a woman is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/to-be-rapeable-a-position-that-is-social-not-biological-defines-what/)

[Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/)

> [“To be rapable, a position that is social not biological, defines what a woman is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-a-mackinnon/to-be-rapable-a-position-that-is-social-not-biological-defines-what-a/)

[Catharine A. MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-a-mackinnon/)

> [“I am at least as much a social as a biological construction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-smail/i-am-at-least-as-much-a-social-as-a-biological-construction/)

David Smail

> [All civilization in a sense exists only in the mind. Gunpowder, textile arts, machinery, laws, telephones are not themselves transmitted from man to man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-l-kroeber/all-civilization-in-a-sense-exists-only-in-the-mind-gunpowder-textile/)

Alfred L. Kroeber

> [Social and cultural change, however desirable, should not be effected by the engines of national power. Let us, through persuasion and education, seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/social-and-cultural-change-however-desirable-should-not-be-effected/)

[Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/)

> [The sophists were as a rule men who had traveled widely and seen different forms of government. Both conventions and local laws in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-sophists-were-as-a-rule-men-who-had-traveled-widely-and-seen/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [Woman's great mission is to train immature, weak and ignorant creatures to obey the laws of God; the physical, the intellectual, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/woman-s-great-mission-is-to-train-immature-weak-and-ignorant/)

[Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/)

> [While much of modern behavioral and social science treats individuals as autonomous agents, it is absolutely clear that the way we think and act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-nelson/while-much-of-modern-behavioral-and-social-science-treats-individuals/)

Richard R. Nelson

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/)

[Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/)

> [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Being faithful shouldn't be challenging, cheating should. Too bad its the other way around though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-faithful-shouldn-t-be-challenging-cheating-should-too-bad-its/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Jenny Holzer

> [How do you resign yourself to something that will never be? You stop wanting just that thing. You go numb. Or you kill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/how-do-you-resign-yourself-to-something-that-will-never-be-you-stop/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [“Alienation produces eccentrics or revolutionary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/alienation-produces-eccentrics-or-revolutionary/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [“MORE THAN ONCE I'VE AWAKENED WITH TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS. I HAVE HAD TO THINK WHETHER I WAS CRYING OR WHETHER IT IS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/more-than-once-i-ve-awakened-with-tears-running-down-my-cheeks-i-have/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [Going with the flow is soothing but risky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/going-with-the-flow-is-soothing-but-risky/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [Abuse of power comes as no surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/abuse-of-power-comes-as-no-surprise/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [Killing is unavoidable but is nothing to be proud of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/killing-is-unavoidable-but-is-nothing-to-be-proud-of/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [“Food won't go down when you know your mother didn't want you, never liked to feed you, always hated you in her rooms. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/food-won-t-go-down-when-you-know-your-mother-didn-t-want-you-never/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [SPIT ALL OVER SOMEONE WITH A MOUTHFUL OF MILK IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR PERSONALITY FAST.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/spit-all-over-someone-with-a-mouthful-of-milk-if-you-want-to-find-out/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [Use what is dominant in a culture to change it quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/use-what-is-dominant-in-a-culture-to-change-it-quickly/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [I seldom have my stuff up unless I'm testing it. If I'm worrying about a painting, I put it up and see if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-seldom-have-my-stuff-up-unless-i-m-testing-it-if-i-m-worrying-about/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [“I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND IT DOES ME NO GOOD AT ALL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-know-who-you-are-and-it-does-me-no-good-at-all/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [It can be kind of gruesome at times, making things alone. I don't want to be too dramatic, but it's hard. It's necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/it-can-be-kind-of-gruesome-at-times-making-things-alone-i-don-t-want/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [“IT'S NO FUN WATCHING PEOPLE WOUND THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN HOLE UP, NURSE THEMSELVES BACK TO HEALTH, AND REPEAT THE CYCLE. THEY DON'T…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/it-s-no-fun-watching-people-wound-themselves-so-that-they-can-hole-up/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [I wasn't sure I was an artist, so I thought maybe I just was throwing ideas out for people to consider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wasn-t-sure-i-was-an-artist-so-i-thought-maybe-i-just-was-throwing/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

> [Deviants are sacrificed to increase group solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/deviants-are-sacrificed-to-increase-group-solidarity/)

[Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

[Explore all 133 Jenny Holzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/)

## More Faithfulness quotes

> [Being faithful shouldn't be challenging, cheating should. Too bad its the other way around though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-faithful-shouldn-t-be-challenging-cheating-should-too-bad-its/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/)

[Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/)

> [The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-goal-of-faithfulness-is-not-that-we-will-do-work-for-god-but-that/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“Courage is being who you are. Courage is sacred of thyself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/courage-is-being-who-you-are-courage-is-sacred-of-thyself/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Once you let them establish their ideology in you, they will drive you crazy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-let-them-establish-their-ideology-in-you-they-will-drive-you/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/you-are-unique-and-there-may-be-incidents-in-your-experience-that-are/)

[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [Galatians Chapter 5 Verse 22 But faithfulness fruit goodness is joy kindness love of patience peace Spirit the](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bless-highlyfavor/galatians-chapter-5-verse-22-but-faithfulness-fruit-goodness-is-joy/)

Bless Highlyfavor

> [It is the faithfulness of God that allows epistemology to model ontology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polkinghorne/it-is-the-faithfulness-of-god-that-allows-epistemology-to-model/)

[John Polkinghorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polkinghorne/)

> [God's faithfulness means that God will always do what He said and fulfill what He has promised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-grudem/god-s-faithfulness-means-that-god-will-always-do-what-he-said-and/)

[Wayne Grudem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-grudem/)

> [The best relationship isnt just faithfulness, also never make your partner even feel you have alternatives. You dont flirt around with other counterparts if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-nwakama/the-best-relationship-isnt-just-faithfulness-also-never-make-your/)

[Anne Nwakama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-nwakama/)

> [The rules of marriage were simple and easy to follow: faithfulness, patience, compromise. But there were no rules to divorce, or if there were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-ball/the-rules-of-marriage-were-simple-and-easy-to-follow-faithfulness/)

[Donna Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-ball/)

> [“It’s a war of visions and dreams, none of which is substantiated, in the end only the ones best published and adhered to by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/it-s-a-war-of-visions-and-dreams-none-of-which-is-substantiated-in/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

[Browse all 487 Faithfulness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faithfulness/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jenny Holzer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biological-law/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Faithfulness"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biological-law/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jenny-holzer-3328_faithfulness_faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biologica_216817.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.” — Jenny Holzer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jenny Holzer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Faithfulness is a social not a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biological-law/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biological-law/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
