Absolutes Quote by Martin Luther King, Jr
“Moral principles have lost their distinctiveness. For modern man, absolute right and absolute wrong are a matter of what the majority is doing.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Moral Relativism Critique (1960)
Modern morality is diluted; right and wrong become majority opinion, losing absolute standards.
In simple terms: Morality becomes relative to majority.
Key Takeaway
Seek absolute ethical principles.
Themes
ethics
relativism
society
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- public policy debates
- social movements
- education curricula
Key Concepts
philosophy
political science
history
Questions to Reflect On
- How to balance universal ethics with cultural differences?
- What defines absolute right?
A Different Perspective
Absolute standards may clash with cultural diversity.
![“Our search for such [moral] principles can start with . . . the unconditional imperative to acknowledge every person as a person. If we ask for the contents given by this absolute, we find, first, something negative-the command not to treat a person as a thing. This seems little, but it is much…” quote by Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a0e/paul-tillich-3183_absolutes_our-search-for-such-moral-principles-can_595805.jpg)
![“Their [the U.S.’s] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as ‘their home — their fortress.’ And good for them, I say. Well done!” quote by Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ec3/vladimir-putin-261_absolutes_their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolu_10791.jpg)
