Cruelty Quote by John Keegan
![“[W]e are hardened to what we know, and we rationalise and even justify cruelties practised by us and our like while retaining the capacity to be outraged, even disgusted by practices equally cruel which, under the hands of strangers, take a different form.” quote by John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/384/john-keegan-14504_cruelty_w-e-are-hardened-to-what-we-know-and-we_1330657.jpg)
““[W]e are hardened to what we know, and we rationalise and even justify cruelties practised by us and our like while retaining the capacity to be outraged, even disgusted by practices equally cruel which, under the hands of strangers, take a different form.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Face of Battle by John Keegan, 1976
People become desensitized to familiar wrongdoing, rationalizing it, yet feel shock when similar cruelty is done by outsiders.
In simple terms: We excuse our own cruelty but are outraged by strangers' cruelty.
Key Takeaway
Question our biases and hold all actions to the same moral standard.
Themes
morality
bias
empathy
justice
psychology
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
ethical
analytical
When to use this quote
- political protest
- workplace harassment
- international conflict
- media reporting
Key Concepts
cognitive dissonance
in‑group/out‑group dynamics
moral relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you react to similar acts by your own group versus strangers?
- What steps can reduce this double standard?
A Different Perspective
It can overlook systemic factors that enable cruelty, making individual blame insufficient.
![“Hitler ... lacked the [inclination] for anything more than the occasional sensational display of emotion, in particular the great set-piece speech which mesmerized the mob and left him drained of ... energy.” quote by John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd3/john-keegan-14504_display_hitler-lacked-the-inclination-for-anythi_97177.jpg)
