--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not speak glibly of virtue. Nothing…" description: "\"“Do not speak glibly of virtue. Nothing shall change-nothing-so long as each individual awaits preferment rather than embodying beneficence in himself;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/m-t-anderson-7453_character_do-not-speak-glibly-of-virtue-nothing-sh_2230372.jpg" --- # Do not speak glibly of virtue. Nothing shall… ![“Do not speak glibly of virtue. Nothing shall change-nothing-so long as each individual awaits preferment rather than embodying beneficence in himself; so long as we wait upon the edicts of a government ruled by invested and interested men looking to their private purses; so long as we idle in…” quote by M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/m-t-anderson-7453_character_do-not-speak-glibly-of-virtue-nothing-sh_2230372.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/m-t-anderson-7453_character_do-not-speak-glibly-of-virtue-nothing-sh_2230372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/m-t-anderson-7453_character_do-not-speak-glibly-of-virtue-nothing-sh_2230372.jpg) > ““Do not speak glibly of virtue. Nothing shall change-nothing-so long as each individual awaits preferment rather than embodying beneficence in himself; so long as we wait upon the edicts of a government ruled by invested and interested men looking to their private purses; so long as we idle in expectation that all shall be healed, and that we shall somehow be stopped in our career of plunder by an eighteen-hundred-year-old mummy, scarred with the wounds of torture, falling out of the sky or stumbling out of the desert, eyes filled with the tears that we should weep ourselves.”” [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True change comes from personal virtue, not waiting for government or miracles; individuals must act benevolently themselves. **In simple terms:** Change requires personal virtue, not external rescue. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal benevolence now. Themes virtue personal responsibility political critique hope action Mood determined critical hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - community activism - political reform - ethical education - self‑improvement Key Concepts ethical philosophy self‑reliance social contract Questions to Reflect On - What virtues can you embody today? - How can you influence change without waiting for leaders? A Different Perspective Relying on external forces can delay necessary personal action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“...virtue shall be bound into the hair of thy forelock... I have given thee the power of flight without wings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-koran/virtue-shall-be-bound-into-the-hair-of-thy-forelock-i-have-given-thee/) The Koran > [Those who stand in the way of virtue shall fail!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-bei/those-who-stand-in-the-way-of-virtue-shall-fail/) [Liu Bei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-bei/) > [Patience, the beggar's virtue, shall find no harbor here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/patience-the-beggar-s-virtue-shall-find-no-harbor-here/) [Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/) > [Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail, And say there is no sin but to be rich; And being rich, my virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/well-whiles-i-am-a-beggar-i-will-rail-and-say-there-is-no-sin-but-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The queen of virtues is the recognition of one's own flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-queen-of-virtues-is-the-recognition-of-one-s-own-flaws/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perceiving-the-order-of-nature-to-be-that-individual-happiness-shall/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [ “For her \[Françoise\], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-necessary-condition-without-which/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [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. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More by M.T. Anderson > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“We were as strangers, in the moment-as intimate as strangers-for strangers know more of us, and can judge of us more without reproach than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/we-were-as-strangers-in-the-moment-as-intimate-as-strangers-for/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“I went to him & put my Hand upon his Shoulder. Said he to me, “God forgive me. Her Name — I never knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/i-went-to-him-put-my-hand-upon-his-shoulder-said-he-to-me-god-forgive/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“Maybe these are our salad days." "Huh?" "You know. Happy." "What's happy about a salad?" She shrugged. "Ranch," she said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/maybe-these-are-our-salad-days-huh-you-know-happy-what-s-happy-about/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“The British Army and Navy sang a rousing song called "Heart of Oak"; the rebels had writ one to counter it called "The Liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/the-british-army-and-navy-sang-a-rousing-song-called-heart-of-oak-the/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“We could sing to lift our spirits,’ one of them suggested. Believe me, you want me to end the chapter now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/we-could-sing-to-lift-our-spirits-one-of-them-suggested-believe-me/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“Who do we seek, my spies? Again and again, I announce to the world: I. M. Realdom! I. M. Realdom! I. M. Realdom! I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/who-do-we-seek-my-spies-again-and-again-i-announce-to-the-world-i-m/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“I run through the woods, at once applauding myself for my wit-" "Well deserved, sir. Well deserved." "And at the self instant, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/i-run-through-the-woods-at-once-applauding-myself-for-my-wit-well/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“You know who you should ask about this? My pal Ray, who works with me. He could tell you all about this." Lily's dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/you-know-who-you-should-ask-about-this-my-pal-ray-who-works-with-me/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“ We enter a time of calamity. Blood on the tarmac. Fingers in the juicer. Towers of air frozen in the lunar wastes. Models…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/we-enter-a-time-of-calamity-blood-on-the-tarmac-fingers-in-the-juicer/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“Each of us hides our own private Delaware lost in the gray jungle-tangle of our brains. No one else can know its depths and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/each-of-us-hides-our-own-private-delaware-lost-in-the-gray-jungle/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“Altruism is the kind of pie best eaten with a lot of gravy and little inspection of the kind of kidney it's stuffed with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/altruism-is-the-kind-of-pie-best-eaten-with-a-lot-of-gravy-and-little/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“He was possessed of a belief that nothing existed, or to be more precise, that only when things were perceived could we be sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/he-was-possessed-of-a-belief-that-nothing-existed-or-to-be-more/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“I hope thou shalt never retreat beneath the ground. The sun is thy inheritance. The sky is thy birthright. Stay here, my boy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/i-hope-thou-shalt-never-retreat-beneath-the-ground-the-sun-is-thy/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [“Almost nothing lives here anymore, except where we plant it? No. No, no, no. We don’t know any of that. We have tea parties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/almost-nothing-lives-here-anymore-except-where-we-plant-it-no-no-no/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) [Explore all 90 M.T. Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) ## 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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