--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I suspect that on some level, life is a…" description: "\"“I suspect that on some level, life is a matter of indefensible loyalties.”\" — Mark Slouka" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png" --- # I suspect that on some level, life is a matter of… ![“I suspect that on some level, life is a matter of indefensible loyalties.” quote by Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png) > ““I suspect that on some level, life is a matter of indefensible loyalties.”” [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests that life involves loyalties that cannot be justified morally. **In simple terms:** Life includes morally indefensible loyalties. Key Takeaway Question the basis of our commitments. Themes ethics psychology loyalty existence conflict Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - self‑reflection - therapy - philosophical discussion Key Concepts moral dilemma personal allegiance existential angst Questions to Reflect On - What makes a loyalty indefensible? - Can such loyalties be reconciled? A Different Perspective The idea may be too pessimistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beliefs/) [Indefensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indefensible-416655/) [Indefensible Loyalties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indefensible-loyalties-1947009/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loyalties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalties/) [Loyalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalty/) [Matter Indefensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-indefensible-1947010/) [Suspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspect/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) ## Related quotes > [The lines we draw that make us who we are are potent by virtue of being non-negotiable, and even, at some level, indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/the-lines-we-draw-that-make-us-who-we-are-are-potent-by-virtue-of/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [Property in land is as indefensible as property in man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-george/property-in-land-is-as-indefensible-as-property-in-man/) [Henry George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-george/) > [War is indefensible on every grounds, military and economic and diplomatic and also on moral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mccarthy/war-is-indefensible-on-every-grounds-military-and-economic-and/) [Eugene McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mccarthy/) > [I believe that the arts of a culture are terribly important and yet almost indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakin-matthews/i-believe-that-the-arts-of-a-culture-are-terribly-important-and-yet/) [Dakin Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakin-matthews/) > [Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that what he does is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/every-journalist-who-is-not-too-stupid-or-too-full-of-himself-to-2/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [You can't defend the indefensible - anything you say sounds self-serving and hypocritical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/you-can-t-defend-the-indefensible-anything-you-say-sounds-self/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Public school system status quo is indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/public-school-system-status-quo-is-indefensible/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“separation of church from mission is theologically indefensible. More”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/separation-of-church-from-mission-is-theologically-indefensible-more/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-our-time-political-speech-and-writing-are-largely-the-defense-of-3/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The Oxford manner is, alas, indefinable; I was going to say indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baldwin-ross/the-oxford-manner-is-alas-indefinable-i-was-going-to-say-indefensible/) [Robert Baldwin Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baldwin-ross/) > [My personal opinion is that life begins at the point of conception, and abortion is morally indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-rees-mogg/my-personal-opinion-is-that-life-begins-at-the-point-of-conception/) [Jacob Rees-Mogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-rees-mogg/) > [Documentary makers use other people's lives as their raw material, and that is morally indefensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/documentary-makers-use-other-people-s-lives-as-their-raw-material-and/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [I made a big mistake. It is indefensible and I am sorry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-made-a-big-mistake-it-is-indefensible-and-i-am-sorry/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“The truth about life is complicated, indefensible and embarrassing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-weinle/the-truth-about-life-is-complicated-indefensible-and-embarrassing/) [Alex Weinle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-weinle/) > [“Conservatism aims to maintain in working order the loyalties of the community to perceived truths and also to those truths which in their judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr-2/conservatism-aims-to-maintain-in-working-order-the-loyalties-of-the/) [William F. Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr-2/) ## More by Mark Slouka > [“My mother knew a man during the war. Theirs was a love story, and like any good love story, it left blood on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/my-mother-knew-a-man-during-the-war-theirs-was-a-love-story-and-like/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [I distrust the perpetually busy; always have. The frenetic ones spinning in tight little circles like poisoned rats. The slower ones, grinding away their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/i-distrust-the-perpetually-busy-always-have-the-frenetic-ones/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“There are times in every life when the past acquires a particular resonance, when we grow sensitive to sounds and voices normally beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/there-are-times-in-every-life-when-the-past-acquires-a-particular/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [Most of the time when something goes bad—a marriage, a war, a run of good luck—you don’t know it. It’s like in the cartoons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/most-of-the-time-when-something-goes-bad-a-marriage-a-war-a-run-of/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“Generally speaking, writers who have been at it for a while, and who are any good at it, suffer from an acute kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/generally-speaking-writers-who-have-been-at-it-for-a-while-and-who/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“Acceptance was not in my nature. Even as a young man it seemed to me that everywhere the world conspired against the heart, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/acceptance-was-not-in-my-nature-even-as-a-young-man-it-seemed-to-me/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“Such is the privilege of survival: to be allowed to fashion the means that fit our ends, to cobble together a narrative that reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/such-is-the-privilege-of-survival-to-be-allowed-to-fashion-the-means/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“Literature is literature. Its purpose is to challenge and disorient us, to break us down a little bit so that we are forced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/literature-is-literature-its-purpose-is-to-challenge-and-disorient-us/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“The only thing your life teaches you is how to live your life. And that’s only if you’re very lucky. And you listen very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/the-only-thing-your-life-teaches-you-is-how-to-live-your-life-and/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“And yet, far off, I can hear something whispering that this compulsion to do, to intrude ourselves, to improve on what is--even when wholly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/and-yet-far-off-i-can-hear-something-whispering-that-this-compulsion/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [“I lost my father this past year, and the word feels right because I keep looking for him. As if he were misplaced. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/i-lost-my-father-this-past-year-and-the-word-feels-right-because-i/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [Life isn't simple. Literature shouldn't be either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/life-isn-t-simple-literature-shouldn-t-be-either/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [The 'deep' civic function of the humanities . . . is something understood very well by totalitarian societies, which tend to keep close tabs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/the-deep-civic-function-of-the-humanities-is-something-understood/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [Maybe I lacked coping skills. Maybe I was weak. I cared for people for no better reason than they seemed to care for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/maybe-i-lacked-coping-skills-maybe-i-was-weak-i-cared-for-people-for/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [Consider it: Who but God could have dreamed a tale so absurd and so heartless?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/consider-it-who-but-god-could-have-dreamed-a-tale-so-absurd-and-so/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) [Explore all 28 Mark Slouka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) ## More Beliefs quotes > [People always wonder when the world is going to end. I believe that the world will end when everyone stops loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichole-fickes/people-always-wonder-when-the-world-is-going-to-end-i-believe-that/) [Nichole Fickes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichole-fickes/) > [“Your life is your statement to the world representing your values, your beliefs, your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-arenson/your-life-is-your-statement-to-the-world-representing-your-values/) [David Arenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-arenson/) > [Our beliefs are like the unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, what we can and can not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/our-beliefs-are-like-the-unquestioned-commands-telling-us-how-things/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Update your belief! If necessary, throw it to the bin! Don’t exaggerate your belief! Remember that your belief is not that much important; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/update-your-belief-if-necessary-throw-it-to-the-bin-don-t-exaggerate/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I do believe in love at first sight. I believe in a lot of thing. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-i-believe-in-a-lot-of-thing-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [I believe in my Mormon faith, and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers - I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-believe-in-my-mormon-faith-and-i-endeavor-to-live-by-it-my-faith-is/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“What is held real is based upon personal beliefs that drive perception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/what-is-held-real-is-based-upon-personal-beliefs-that-drive-perception/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [I want everybody to worship the God of love instead of worshipping the God of hate and torture. But in the meantime, we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mosab-hassan-yousef/i-want-everybody-to-worship-the-god-of-love-instead-of-worshipping/) [Mosab Hassan Yousef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mosab-hassan-yousef/) > [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) > [“My belief is the belief of no beliefs. That's my belief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-scott-mcleod/my-belief-is-the-belief-of-no-beliefs-that-s-my-belief/) [T. Scott McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-scott-mcleod/) > [Beliefs and values that have held sway for thousands of years will be questioned as never before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/beliefs-and-values-that-have-held-sway-for-thousands-of-years-will-be/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) > [There is no power shortage in heaven, and God is never in a recession. But His grace is sufficient to meet every need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/there-is-no-power-shortage-in-heaven-and-god-is-never-in-a-recession/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“Your beliefs, and your beliefs alone, belong to you. You are the only one who is with you for your entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz-jr/your-beliefs-and-your-beliefs-alone-belong-to-you-you-are-the-only/) [Miguel Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz-jr/) [Browse all 1,331 Beliefs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beliefs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I suspect that on some level, life is a matter of indefensible loyalties.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Slouka" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-matter-of-indefensible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beliefs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-matter-of-indefensible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/mark-slouka-21874_beliefs_i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-m_2601405.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I suspect that on some level, life is a matter of indefensible loyalties.” — Mark Slouka", "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": "Mark Slouka", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I suspect that on some level,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-matter-of-indefensible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/i-suspect-that-on-some-level-life-is-a-matter-of-indefensible/#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 } } ] } ```