Cease to exist Quote by Pyotr Kropotkin
““Fine sermons have been preached on the text that those who have should share with those who have not, but he who would act out this principle is speedily informed that these beautiful sentiments are all very well in poetry, but not in practice. “To lie is to degrade and besmirch oneself,” we say, and yet all civilized life becomes one huge lie. We accustom ourselves and our children to hypocrisy, to the practice of a double-faced morality. And since the brain is ill at ease among lies, we cheat ourselves with sophistry. Hypocrisy and sophistry become the second nature of the civilized man. But a society cannot live thus; it must return to truth or cease to exist.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, 1902
Society’s moral pretense collapses when truth is abandoned, leading to pervasive hypocrisy and self‑deception.
In simple terms: Living without truth creates widespread hypocrisy.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize honesty over convenience.
Themes
ethics
societal health
truth
hypocrisy
philosophy
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
social
When to use this quote
- political activism
- education reform
- personal integrity
- community building
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals foster truth in daily interactions?
- What systems reinforce hypocrisy?
A Different Perspective
Truth alone cannot sustain a society without structural change.
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