Character Quote by Russell Kirk
““Because “we human beings are imaginative by nature, we cannot choose to live by the routine of the ant-heap. If deprived of the imagery of virtue” — imaginative depictions of the truly good life — “we will seek out the imagery of vice.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk, 1953
Human imagination resists a purely routine existence; without noble ideals we turn to vice.
In simple terms: Imagination needs virtue, otherwise we seek vice.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate noble visions to guide actions.
Themes
imagination
virtue
vice
human nature
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career planning
- personal development
- creative projects
- moral education
Key Concepts
philosophy
ethics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you nurture virtuous imagination?
- What vice might arise from lack of higher ideals?
A Different Perspective
If societal structures suppress imagination, people may still find virtue.
![“Men are put into this world, he [the enlightened conservative] realizes, to struggle, to suffer, to contend against the evil that is in their neighbors and in themselves, and to aspire toward the triumph of Love. They are put into this world to live like men, and to die like men. He seeks to…” quote by Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f1/russell-kirk-6909_love_men-are-put-into-this-world-he-the-enlig_208424.jpg)
