--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A community is an alibi for the failure…" description: "\"A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg" --- # A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love. ![“A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg) > “A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective identity can mask personal intimacy, suggesting community may dilute individual love. **In simple terms:** Community can replace personal love. Key Takeaway Seek balance between community and personal relationships. Themes community individual love alienation Mood reflective melancholic Type social philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - online groups - political movements - romantic relationships Key Concepts sociology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Does community strengthen or weaken personal bonds? - Can love exist both individually and collectively? A Different Perspective Community pressure can also provide support, not just alienation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alibi/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else." Then let's be quiet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-something-else-then-let-s-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's the notion that there is no perfection - that there is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-the-notion-that-there-is-no-perfection-that-there-is-a-broken/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [In my opinion, an individual without any love of the arts cannot be considered completely civilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-my-opinion-an-individual-without-any-love-of-the-arts-cannot-be/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [I never look at the masses as my responsibility; I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa-of-calcutta/i-never-look-at-the-masses-as-my-responsibility-i-look-at-the-2/) [Mother Teresa Of Calcutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa-of-calcutta/) > [The freedom to pursue your own desires while sharing your experiences with the other person, The growth of one individual alongside of and together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-freedom-to-pursue-your-own-desires-while-sharing-your-experiences/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [In the life of the individual when love awakens it is older than everything else, because when it exists it seems as if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-the-life-of-the-individual-when-love-awakens-it-is-older-than/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Love is . . . Being happy for the other person when they are happy, Being sad for the person when they are sad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-being-happy-for-the-other-person-when-they-are-happy-being-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If any one thinks I am unfaithful to human fact, and overcharge the description of this child, I on my side doubt the extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/if-any-one-thinks-i-am-unfaithful-to-human-fact-and-overcharge-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I never look at the masses as my responsibility. I look at the individual. I can love only one person at a time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-never-look-at-the-masses-as-my-responsibility-i-look-at-the/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [It all begins, I maintain, with that powerful and underutilized thing called love. God's love for the individual is displayed by those people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-stafford/it-all-begins-i-maintain-with-that-powerful-and-underutilized-thing/) [Wess Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-stafford/) > [“Honesty whispers, "Don't get pricked by the thorns of lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/honesty-whispers-don-t-get-pricked-by-the-thorns-of-lie/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [An alibi is a reason with a bad reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/an-alibi-is-a-reason-with-a-bad-reputation/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [“Don't ever accuse anyone of being full of pride, undignified and unprofessional when simply they are wise to move away from dishonest schemers. Dishonesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-ever-accuse-anyone-of-being-full-of-pride-undignified-and/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [“on Arthur Russell and check out his so-called alibi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gibney/on-arthur-russell-and-check-out-his-so-called-alibi/) [Patricia Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gibney/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Alibi quotes > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“on Arthur Russell and check out his so-called alibi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gibney/on-arthur-russell-and-check-out-his-so-called-alibi/) [Patricia Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gibney/) > [“Don't ever accuse anyone of being full of pride, undignified and unprofessional when simply they are wise to move away from dishonest schemers. Dishonesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-ever-accuse-anyone-of-being-full-of-pride-undignified-and/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [An alibi is a reason with a bad reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/an-alibi-is-a-reason-with-a-bad-reputation/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [“Honesty whispers, "Don't get pricked by the thorns of lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/honesty-whispers-don-t-get-pricked-by-the-thorns-of-lie/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [People always ask me, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' Well, I don't have an alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/people-always-ask-me-where-were-you-when-kennedy-was-shot-well-i-don/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [“You met a guy in an alley, and he kissed you? Is he still alive, or do I need to provide you with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-d-locke/you-met-a-guy-in-an-alley-and-he-kissed-you-is-he-still-alive-or-do-i/) [I.D. Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-d-locke/) > [“We must have one love, one great love in our life, since it gives us an alibi for all the moments when we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-must-have-one-love-one-great-love-in-our-life-since-it-gives-us-an/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Think and then act. Never act and then alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/think-and-then-act-never-act-and-then-alibi/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i-ll-never-be-cross-examined/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [“The world turned and flung me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-iserson/the-world-turned-and-flung-me/) [David Iserson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-iserson/) > [“any particular idiot in mind?” “I do, indeed. If Tom was actually here on Monday, and he needed an alibi, well, man, he didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/any-particular-idiot-in-mind-i-do-indeed-if-tom-was-actually-here-on/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [The public wouldn't like the perfect umpire in every game. It would kill off baseball's greatest alibi - 'We was robbed.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-evans/the-public-wouldn-t-like-the-perfect-umpire-in-every-game-it-would/) [Billy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-evans/) > [A is for Alibi, my first book, was published in 1982. As it happened the next couple of books took place in June and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/a-is-for-alibi-my-first-book-was-published-in-1982-as-it-happened-the/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Some people have an identity. I have an alibi. I have a shadow self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/some-people-have-an-identity-i-have-an-alibi-i-have-a-shadow-self/) [Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) [Browse all 60 Alibi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alibi/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Cohen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alibi" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure_751857.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.” — Leonard Cohen", "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": "Leonard Cohen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A community is an alibi for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/#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 } } ] } ```