--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with a lot of people is that…" description: "\"“The problem with a lot of people is that what they think is a virtue is actually a vice in disguise. It's much easier to convince yourself that you're..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/kevin-dutton-14043_character_the-problem-with-a-lot-of-people-is-that_663580.jpg" --- # The problem with a lot of people is that what they think… ![“The problem with a lot of people is that what they think is a virtue is actually a vice in disguise. It's much easier to convince yourself that you're reasonable and civilised, than soft and weak, isn't it?” quote by Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/kevin-dutton-14043_character_the-problem-with-a-lot-of-people-is-that_663580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/kevin-dutton-14043_character_the-problem-with-a-lot-of-people-is-that_663580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/kevin-dutton-14043_character_the-problem-with-a-lot-of-people-is-that_663580.jpg) > ““The problem with a lot of people is that what they think is a virtue is actually a vice in disguise. It's much easier to convince yourself that you're reasonable and civilised, than soft and weak, isn't it?”” [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often mistake self‑justified superiority for moral virtue, masking selfishness as civility. **In simple terms:** We call ourselves civilized to hide weakness. Key Takeaway Question your own motives. Themes self‑deception morality virtue ego social perception Mood introspective critical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal reflection - leadership decisions - team dynamics - public discourse Key Concepts psychology ethics cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you label your actions as virtuous to avoid discomfort? - How might humility improve your judgments? A Different Perspective Seeing yourself as reasonable can blind you to flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Civilised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilised/) [Convince Reasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince-reasonable-3586154/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think/) [Reasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonable/) [Reasonable Civilised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonable-civilised-5283546/) [Soft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soft/) [Think Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-virtue-3478360/) [Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-actually-4141025/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [Vice foments war; it is virtue which actually fights. If there were no virtue, we would live in peace forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/vice-foments-war-it-is-virtue-which-actually-fights-if-there-were-no/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [In physics, your solution should convince a reasonable person. In math, you have to convince a person who's trying to make trouble. Ultimately, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-wilczek/in-physics-your-solution-should-convince-a-reasonable-person-in-math/) [Frank Wilczek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-wilczek/) > [God is not pleased by blood – and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-ii-palaiologos/god-is-not-pleased-by-blood-and-not-acting-reasonably-is-contrary-to/) [Manuel II Palaiologos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-ii-palaiologos/) > [I don't think virtue has a downside. I think human nature does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-brady/i-don-t-think-virtue-has-a-downside-i-think-human-nature-does/) [Catherine Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-brady/) > [I think the virtue I prize above all others is curiosity. If you look really hard at almost anybody, and try to see why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/i-think-the-virtue-i-prize-above-all-others-is-curiosity-if-you-look/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [Many people think that virtue consists of severity towards others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-karr/many-people-think-that-virtue-consists-of-severity-towards-others/) [Alphonse Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-karr/) > [I think the virtue I prize above all others is curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/i-think-the-virtue-i-prize-above-all-others-is-curiosity/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [I think no virtue goes with size;The reason of all cowardiceIs, that men are overgrown,And, to be valiant, must come downTo the titmouse dimension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-think-no-virtue-goes-with-size-the-reason-of-all-cowardiceis-that/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I think the first virtue is to restrain the tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-the-first-virtue-is-to-restrain-the-tongue/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And so they grow richer and richer, and the more they think of making a fortune the less they think of virtue; for when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/and-so-they-grow-richer-and-richer-and-the-more-they-think-of-making/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I think no virtue goes with size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-think-no-virtue-goes-with-size/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I think my virtue was I never thought "This is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/i-think-my-virtue-was-i-never-thought-this-is-impossible/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [On this waterlogged landscape…are scattered palaces and hovels…It is here that the human spirit becomes perfect, and at the same time brutalised, that civilisation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Civilised my syphilised yarbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/civilised-my-syphilised-yarbles/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Even today to be civilised is held to be synonymous with being westernised. Advanced countries devote large resources to formulating and spreading ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/even-today-to-be-civilised-is-held-to-be-synonymous-with-being/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) ## More by Kevin Dutton > [“The most prolific and accomplished hunters were not the most bloodthirsty and indefatigable. They were the most cool and empathetic. They were the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/the-most-prolific-and-accomplished-hunters-were-not-the-most/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Psychopathy is like sunlight. Overexposure can hasten one’s demise in grotesque, carcinogenic fashion. But regulated exposure at controlled and optimal levels can have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/psychopathy-is-like-sunlight-overexposure-can-hasten-one-s-demise-in/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“My conscience certainly feels like it's been spiked with moral Rohypnol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/my-conscience-certainly-feels-like-it-s-been-spiked-with-moral/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Every society needs particular individuals to do its dirty work for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/every-society-needs-particular-individuals-to-do-its-dirty-work-for-it/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Jamie's eyes narrow. 'I ain't pulling over for no one.' he shoots back. 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But was instead, well, just nature?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/what-if-our-better-nature-wasn-t-better-after-all-but-was-instead/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“I think the problem is that people spend so much time worrying about what might happen, what might go wrong, that they completely lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/i-think-the-problem-is-that-people-spend-so-much-time-worrying-about/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Because of these exaggerated dopamine responses, once they focus on the chance to get a reward, psychopaths are unable to alter their attention until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/because-of-these-exaggerated-dopamine-responses-once-they-focus-on/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Reading a book carves brand-new neural pathways into the ancient cortical bedrock of our brains. It transforms the way we see the world. Makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/reading-a-book-carves-brand-new-neural-pathways-into-the-ancient/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“The psychopath emerges as anything up to five times more likely to beat, rape, kill, or mutilate his way back behind bars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/the-psychopath-emerges-as-anything-up-to-five-times-more-likely-to/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“The volunteers displaying high levels of psychopathic traits released almost four times as much dopamine in response to the stimulant as did their non-psychopathic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/the-volunteers-displaying-high-levels-of-psychopathic-traits-released/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Zeroing in on weakness may well be part of a serial killer's toolkit. But it may also come in handy at the airport.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/zeroing-in-on-weakness-may-well-be-part-of-a-serial-killer-s-toolkit/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“It's a poem about moths. But it's also a poem about psychopaths. I get it copied. And stick it in a frame. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a-poem-about-psychopaths-i-get/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Ruthlessness, charm, focus, mental toughness, fearlessness, mindfulness (living in the moment), and action. Who wouldn't, at certain points in their lives, benefit from kicking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/ruthlessness-charm-focus-mental-toughness-fearlessness-mindfulness/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“If the psychopath can "make" out of a situation, if there's any kind of reward on offer, they go for it, irrespective of risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/if-the-psychopath-can-make-out-of-a-situation-if-there-s-any-kind-of/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) [Explore all 38 Kevin Dutton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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