--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But for the Jews this moral-spiritual…" description: "\"But for the Jews this moral-spiritual issue raises the same societal problem it does for the Greeks: how can a man have the \"right\" to make himself spi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg" --- # But for the Jews this moral-spiritual issue raises the… ![“But for the Jews this moral-spiritual issue raises the same societal problem it does for the Greeks: how can a man have the "right" to make himself spiritually or rationally destitute or retarded when this corrupts the whole quality of the culture that we all together need and depend on? If anyone…” quote by Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg) > “But for the Jews this moral-spiritual issue raises the same societal problem it does for the Greeks: how can a man have the "right" to make himself spiritually or rationally destitute or retarded when this corrupts the whole quality of the culture that we all together need and depend on? If anyone wants a cloistered and closed-minded life, an anti-aristic life, let him either go off and live among the wolves-or else join the community of like-minded idiots that (alas) compose and define the basic terms of modern society.” [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that both Jewish and Greek traditions grapple with the tension between individual freedom and cultural responsibility. **In simple terms:** Freedom can harm society if misused. Key Takeaway Balance personal liberty with communal duty. Themes ethics culture individual vs society Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - community leadership Key Concepts moral philosophy social cohesion identity politics Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do individuals have to their culture? - How can societies protect both freedom and cohesion? A Different Perspective Excessive individualism can erode shared values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Closed minded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closed-minded/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-society/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [So much has to do with going beyond treating black people as cosmetic and symbolic items, as opposed to genuine personalities and human beings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/so-much-has-to-do-with-going-beyond-treating-black-people-as-cosmetic/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“I believe...that education is not only the most important societal problem but the most interesting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-graham/i-believe-that-education-is-not-only-the-most-important-societal/) [Katharine Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-graham/) > [The most successful apps have taken a societal problem and built an accessible and democratic solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/the-most-successful-apps-have-taken-a-societal-problem-and-built-an/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [Even when I became cognizant of this societal problem in this country, I asked my father and my mother if they knew anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-c-driskell/even-when-i-became-cognizant-of-this-societal-problem-in-this-country/) [David C. Driskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-c-driskell/) > [This is a deeply spiritual issue...Do we want to spend more time trying to care for our fellow man or do we want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/this-is-a-deeply-spiritual-issue-do-we-want-to-spend-more-time-trying/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I deal with this spiritual issue every day - either shooting or processing or sorting or discussing or having conversations - I'm in constant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-nimoy/i-deal-with-this-spiritual-issue-every-day-either-shooting-or/) [Leonard Nimoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-nimoy/) > [Some view mental illness as a purely spiritual issue and deny the need for medication or other forms of treatment. Others view it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-walsh/some-view-mental-illness-as-a-purely-spiritual-issue-and-deny-the/) [Sheila Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-walsh/) > [Materialism is not fundamentally an economic problem, but a cultural one... a spiritual issue. It runs to the depths of our souls, and, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wuthnow/materialism-is-not-fundamentally-an-economic-problem-but-a-cultural/) [Robert Wuthnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wuthnow/) > [Creativity is a spiritual issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/creativity-is-a-spiritual-issue/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [Therefore, this is a question of whether we, humans, can change our culture and begin to truly care for all Creation, nurture all Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailesh-rao/therefore-this-is-a-question-of-whether-we-humans-can-change-our/) [Shailesh Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailesh-rao/) > [The way to improve our schools is not more money, but the reintroduction of moral and spiritual values, as well as the four R's:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-way-to-improve-our-schools-is-not-more-money-but-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“You cannot have a moral holiday and remain moral, nor can you have a spiritual holiday and remain spiritual. God wants you to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-cannot-have-a-moral-holiday-and-remain-moral-nor-can-you-have-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“the moral and spiritual imperatives of religion are important for humanity and should not be relegated unthinkingly to the scrap heap of history in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-moral-and-spiritual-imperatives-of-religion-are-important-for/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In order to have a literature, a nation must live, not merely on the practical, but on the moral and spiritual plane as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vissarion-belinsky/in-order-to-have-a-literature-a-nation-must-live-not-merely-on-the/) [Vissarion Belinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vissarion-belinsky/) > [I think the Buddhist ethic is clearer and more systematic in some ways. The Buddhist notion is that our chief problems are greed, hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/i-think-the-buddhist-ethic-is-clearer-and-more-systematic-in-some/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) ## More by Kenny Smith > [The approach of intellect or noesis will forever be an effete and limited sort of thing by contrast with the vigor and color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/the-approach-of-intellect-or-noesis-will-forever-be-an-effete-and/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [One can hardly appreciate how academia has perverted its highest tasks and "ideals" without pondering long and hard the implications of Jacques Barzun's House…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/one-can-hardly-appreciate-how-academia-has-perverted-its-highest/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [When academics claim a topic is obsolete, they mean merely they are tired of flogging it with their cliches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/when-academics-claim-a-topic-is-obsolete-they-mean-merely-they-are/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [If you look at the NBA, it's the richest and wealthiest group of African-American men in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/if-you-look-at-the-nba-it-s-the-richest-and-wealthiest-group-of/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [In late modernity we grow more and more accustomed to politicians and public figures who are indebted to their appetites for their "values," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/in-late-modernity-we-grow-more-and-more-accustomed-to-politicians-and/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [How infinitely happier and more grateful is the whole personality or spirit when it finds something nourishing in art or writing or thinking, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/how-infinitely-happier-and-more-grateful-is-the-whole-personality-or/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [There are a lot more famous fathers out there than me with daughters who wouldn't mind singing careers... but the talent and the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/there-are-a-lot-more-famous-fathers-out-there-than-me-with-daughters/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [Games like 'Call of Duty' and 'NBA Baller Beats' have so much to them. I was more of the 'Pac-Man' generation where we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/games-like-call-of-duty-and-nba-baller-beats-have-so-much-to-them-i/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [The Rockets have a philosophy of what they think their coach should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/the-rockets-have-a-philosophy-of-what-they-think-their-coach-should-be/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [I've played more park games than NBA games, and I had a 10-year NBA career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/i-ve-played-more-park-games-than-nba-games-and-i-had-a-10-year-nba/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [I'm always the neutral guy, man. I'm able to bring people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/i-m-always-the-neutral-guy-man-i-m-able-to-bring-people-together/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [People compose the schedules they do out of the priorities they have; and someone who says otherwise is deceiving himself about what he really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/people-compose-the-schedules-they-do-out-of-the-priorities-they-have/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [There's hasn't been a day in my life since I was 9 years old that I haven't touched a basketball or done something connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/there-s-hasn-t-been-a-day-in-my-life-since-i-was-9-years-old-that-i/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [You can have your own thought process about things, but you still need to include and co-exist with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/you-can-have-your-own-thought-process-about-things-but-you-still-need/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [NCAA is looking at how to do a better job enforcing their rules instead of looking at why the predatorial environment is created. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/ncaa-is-looking-at-how-to-do-a-better-job-enforcing-their-rules/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) [Explore all 168 Kenny Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) ## More Alas quotes > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Time, time - that is our greatest master! Alas, like Ugolino, time devours its own children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-berlioz/time-time-that-is-our-greatest-master-alas-like-ugolino-time-devours/) [Hector Berlioz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-berlioz/) > [Removing prejudices is, alas! too often removing the boundary of a delightful near prospect in order to let in a shockingly extensive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/removing-prejudices-is-alas-too-often-removing-the-boundary-of-a/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-pharcellus-church/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus-he-exists-as-certainly-as-love/) [Francis Pharcellus Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-pharcellus-church/) > [Alas, Postumus, the fleeting years slip by, nor will piety give any stay to wrinkles and pressing old age and untamable death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/alas-postumus-the-fleeting-years-slip-by-nor-will-piety-give-any-stay/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Sensible Catholics have for generations been ignoring the views on contraception held by reactionary old men in the Vatican, but alas, since it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/sensible-catholics-have-for-generations-been-ignoring-the-views-on/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [The flesh is sad, alas, and I have read all the books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/the-flesh-is-sad-alas-and-i-have-read-all-the-books/) [Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/) > [Alas! all music jars when the soul's out of tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/alas-all-music-jars-when-the-soul-s-out-of-tune/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [In spite of the honestest efforts to annihilate my I-ity, or merge it in what the world doubtless considers my better half, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/in-spite-of-the-honestest-efforts-to-annihilate-my-i-ity-or-merge-it/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [The dumpling is indeed of more ancient institution, and of foreign origin; but alas, what were those dumplings? Nothing but a few lentils sodden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-dumpling-is-indeed-of-more-ancient-institution-and-of-foreign/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Ideally a painter (and, generally, an artist) should not become conscious of his insights: without taking the detour through his reflective processes, and incomprehensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/ideally-a-painter-and-generally-an-artist-should-not-become-conscious/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Alas! we makeA ladder of our thoughts, where angels step,But sleep ourselves at the foot: our high resolvesLook down upon our slumbering acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/alas-we-makea-ladder-of-our-thoughts-where-angels-step-but-sleep/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) Browse all 453 Alas quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But for the Jews this moral-spiritual issue raises the same societal problem it does for the Greeks: how can a man have the \"right\" to make himself spiritually or rationally destitute or retarded when this corrupts the whole quality of the culture that we all together need and depend on? If anyone wants a cloistered and closed-minded life, an anti-aristic life, let him either go off and live among the wolves-or else join the community of like-minded idiots that (alas) compose and define the basic terms of modern society.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenny Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-issue-raises-the-same-societal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-issue-raises-the-same-societal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/kenny-smith-2406_alas_but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-is_1171992.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But for the Jews this moral-spiritual issue raises the same societal problem it does for the Greeks: how can…” — Kenny Smith", "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": "Kenny Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But for the Jews this moral-spiritual...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-issue-raises-the-same-societal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/but-for-the-jews-this-moral-spiritual-issue-raises-the-same-societal/#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 } } ] } ```