Anger Quote by Michel de Montaigne
“How often, being moved under a false cause, if the person offending makes a good defense and presents us with a just excuse, are we angry against truth and innocence itself?”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Essays, Book I, 1580
When we justify wrongdoing with a plausible excuse, we may irrationally blame truth and innocence.
In simple terms: Excuses can misdirect anger away from the real cause.
Question motives before blaming.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- courtroom
- personal conflict
- political debate
- media criticism
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we accept convenient defenses?
- How can we stay objective?
Excuses may be manipulative but not always intentional.