--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the last Puritan has disappeared…" description: "\"When the last Puritan has disappeared from the earth, the man of science will take his place as a killjoy, and we shall be given the same old advice bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg" --- # When the last Puritan has disappeared from the earth, the… ![“When the last Puritan has disappeared from the earth, the man of science will take his place as a killjoy, and we shall be given the same old advice but for different reasons.” quote by Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg) > “When the last Puritan has disappeared from the earth, the man of science will take his place as a killjoy, and we shall be given the same old advice but for different reasons.” [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Future scientists may replace religious moralists, offering similar cautions but rooted in rationalism. **In simple terms:** Science will become the new moral authority. Key Takeaway Question the source of moral guidance. Themes science morality societal change Mood skeptical critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy making - education - public discourse Key Concepts secularism ethical authority Questions to Reflect On - Will rational warnings be heeded? - How does secular morality differ? A Different Perspective Science may lack emotional resonance of faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Killjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killjoy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Puritan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritan/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [I'm always disappointed when I see the word 'Puritan' tossed around as shorthand for a bunch of generic, boring, stupid, judgmental killjoys. Because to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-m-always-disappointed-when-i-see-the-word-puritan-tossed-around-as/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [America was founded by puritans and like it or not the anti-pleasure dogma of those buckled-shoed killjoys still pervades our collective unconscious like an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/america-was-founded-by-puritans-and-like-it-or-not-the-anti-pleasure/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [It is funny, I don't feel old enough to give advice... But with the advisers you trust, you better listen to them. It may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-heppner/it-is-funny-i-don-t-feel-old-enough-to-give-advice-but-with-the/) [Ben Heppner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-heppner/) > [“No, Aidan,” he said firmly, “you don’t need any new advice. You need to heed the old advice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rogers/no-aidan-he-said-firmly-you-don-t-need-any-new-advice-you-need-to/) [Jonathan Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rogers/) > [“I say fuck the old advice 'show, don't tell.' It's called story TELLING for a reason, and I'll stick to it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/i-say-fuck-the-old-advice-show-don-t-tell-it-s-called-story-telling/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [“And it’s old advice, but it’s good: be yourself.” -Queen Amberly, The Selection/The Prince”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/and-it-s-old-advice-but-it-s-good-be-yourself-queen-amberly-the/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“It’s old advice, but it’s good: be yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/it-s-old-advice-but-it-s-good-be-yourself/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [Not just self-restraint, that old killjoy, but communal restraint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/not-just-self-restraint-that-old-killjoy-but-communal-restraint/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I am sure some people will say I am a killjoy for taking away the right of those men who wish to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqui-smith/i-am-sure-some-people-will-say-i-am-a-killjoy-for-taking-away-the/) Jacqui Smith > [But the saints are never the kind of killjoy spinster aunts who go in for faultfinding and lack all sense of humor. (Nor should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/but-the-saints-are-never-the-kind-of-killjoy-spinster-aunts-who-go-in/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [Do not listen to the killjoys who tell you never to eat oysters in months that do not contain the letter R: May, June,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/do-not-listen-to-the-killjoys-who-tell-you-never-to-eat-oysters-in/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Hot off the presses, today’s headlines: The love of your life does not approve of my wanton flapper ways,” Evie said in a voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/hot-off-the-presses-today-s-headlines-the-love-of-your-life-does-not/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [The saints are never the kind of killjoy spinster aunts who go in for faultfinding and lack all sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-saints-are-never-the-kind-of-killjoy-spinster-aunts-who-go-in-for/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [“The church is often called a killjoy for protesting against sexual license. But the real killing of joy comes with the grabbing of pleasure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-church-is-often-called-a-killjoy-for-protesting-against-sexual/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [Let’s take this figure of the feminist killjoy seriously. Does the feminist kill other people’s joy by pointing out moments of sexism? Or does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ahmed/let-s-take-this-figure-of-the-feminist-killjoy-seriously-does-the/) [Sara Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ahmed/) ## More by Robert Staughton Lynd > [There are some people who want to throw their arms round you simply because it is Christmas; there are other people who want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/there-are-some-people-who-want-to-throw-their-arms-round-you-simply/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Most of us can remember a time when a birthday - especially if it was one's own - brightened the world as if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/most-of-us-can-remember-a-time-when-a-birthday-especially-if-it-was/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Any of us can achieve virtue, if by virtue we merely mean the avoidance of the vices that do not attract us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/any-of-us-can-achieve-virtue-if-by-virtue-we-merely-mean-the/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Every man of genius is considerably helped by being dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/every-man-of-genius-is-considerably-helped-by-being-dead/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [ \[History is\] the story of the magnificent rear-guard action fought during several thousand years by dogma against curiosity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/history-is-the-story-of-the-magnificent-rear-guard-action-fought/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Cut quarrels out of literature, and you will have very little history or drama or fiction or epic poetry left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/cut-quarrels-out-of-literature-and-you-will-have-very-little-history/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Knowledge is power only if man knows what facts not to bother with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/knowledge-is-power-only-if-man-knows-what-facts-not-to-bother-with/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Most remarks that are worth making are commonplace remarks. The things that makes them worth saying is that we really mean them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/most-remarks-that-are-worth-making-are-commonplace-remarks-the-things/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [I sometimes suspect that half our difficulties are imaginary and that if we kept quiet about them they would disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/i-sometimes-suspect-that-half-our-difficulties-are-imaginary-and-that/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [The telephone is the greatest nuisance among conveniences, the greatest convenience among nuisances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/the-telephone-is-the-greatest-nuisance-among-conveniences-the/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [Friendship is not going to stand the pressure of greatly great guidance for quite extensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/friendship-is-not-going-to-stand-the-pressure-of-greatly-great/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) [Explore all 12 Robert Staughton Lynd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the last Puritan has disappeared from the earth, the man of science will take his place as a killjoy, and we shall be given the same old advice but for different reasons.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Staughton Lynd" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-from-the-earth-the-man-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-from-the-earth-the-man-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/robert-staughton-lynd-36862_advice_when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-fr_1324265.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the last Puritan has disappeared from the earth, the man of science will take his place as a killjoy…” — Robert Staughton Lynd", "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": "Robert Staughton Lynd", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When the last Puritan has disappeared...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-from-the-earth-the-man-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/when-the-last-puritan-has-disappeared-from-the-earth-the-man-of/#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 } } ] } ```