Atrocity Quote by Sam Harris
““No atrocity was ever committed because people were being too reasonable, too skeptical, or too independently minded.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Moral Landscape, 2010
Reasonable skepticism alone cannot prevent atrocities; other factors drive evil.
In simple terms: Reason alone isn’t enough.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate moral vigilance.
Themes
ethics
reason
atrocity
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- education
- community dialogue
Key Concepts
skepticism
independence
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives people to cruelty?
- How can reason be paired with moral action?
A Different Perspective
May underplay rationality’s role.
![“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern world. [...] The first thing to observe about the moderate’s retreat from scriptural literalism is that it draws its inspiration not from scripture but from…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b44/sam-harris-457_bible_moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to_6967.jpg)
![“...he was telling me that our [country's] blood-soaked and atrocity-littered past was important but that the future didn't have to be its slave.” quote by Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7be/wes-moore-2818_time_he-was-telling-me-that-our-country-s-blo_6102.jpg)
