--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are occasions on which it is noble…" description: "\"There are occasions on which it is noble to dare to stand alone. To be pious among infidels, to be disinterested in a time of general venality, to lead..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/samuel-johnson-50_betrayal_there-are-occasions-on-which-it-is-noble_1410130.jpg" --- # There are occasions on which it is noble to dare to stand… ![“There are occasions on which it is noble to dare to stand alone. To be pious among infidels, to be disinterested in a time of general venality, to lead a life of virtue and reason in the midst of sensualists, is a proof of a mind intent on nobler things than the praise or blame of men, of a soul…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/samuel-johnson-50_betrayal_there-are-occasions-on-which-it-is-noble_1410130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/samuel-johnson-50_betrayal_there-are-occasions-on-which-it-is-noble_1410130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/602/samuel-johnson-50_betrayal_there-are-occasions-on-which-it-is-noble_1410130.jpg) > “There are occasions on which it is noble to dare to stand alone. To be pious among infidels, to be disinterested in a time of general venality, to lead a life of virtue and reason in the midst of sensualists, is a proof of a mind intent on nobler things than the praise or blame of men, of a soul fixed in the contemplation of the highest good, and superiour to the tyranny of custom and example.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges moral courage to uphold virtue and reason despite societal pressure and popular vice. **In simple terms:** Stand alone for virtue despite others. Key Takeaway Choose integrity over conformity. Themes courage virtue individualism integrity philosophy Mood defiant reflective inspirational Type philosophical ethical motivational When to use this quote - political activism - personal ethical decisions - leadership in corrupt environments - standing up to peer pressure Key Concepts moral philosophy ethical autonomy social critique Questions to Reflect On - What values would you defend alone? - How do you balance personal integrity with social harmony? A Different Perspective It may isolate you and invite criticism or retaliation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Contemplation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplation/) [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare/) [Disinterested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disinterested/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest/) [Individuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuality/) [Infidel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infidel/) [Infidels Disinterested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infidels-disinterested-4966579/) [Intent Nobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intent-nobler-4966578/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Midst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midst/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Pious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pious/) [Pious Infidels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pious-infidels-4966577/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Stand alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-alone/) [Stand Pious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-pious-4966576/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-reason-580869/) ## Related quotes > [Never esteem people (including yourself) more because they have money, nor think less of anyone (including yourself) because they lack it. Virtue is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/never-esteem-people-including-yourself-more-because-they-have-money/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [... not being liked has a certain virtue about it, if the reason for the dislike does not lie in yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/not-being-liked-has-a-certain-virtue-about-it-if-the-reason-for-the/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [Virtue is reason which has become energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/virtue-is-reason-which-has-become-energy/) [Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/) > [What is virtue? Reason in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chenier/what-is-virtue-reason-in-practice/) [Joseph Chenier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chenier/) > [What is virtue? reason put into practice: -talent? reason expressed with brilliance: -soul? reason delicately put forth; and genius is sublime reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-ch-nier/what-is-virtue-reason-put-into-practice-talent-reason-expressed-with/) [Andre Chenier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-ch-nier/) > [As the rays of the sun, notwithstanding their velocity, injure not the eye, by reason of their minuteness, so the attacks of envy, notwithstanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/as-the-rays-of-the-sun-notwithstanding-their-velocity-injure-not-the/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [True courage is not the brutal force of vulgar heroes, but the firm resolve of virtue and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/true-courage-is-not-the-brutal-force-of-vulgar-heroes-but-the-firm/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [There is no pure, disinterested, theory-free observation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-is-no-pure-disinterested-theory-free-observation/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“For a time Emerson politely endeavored to conceal his boredom - like most men, he is profoundly disinterested in all children except his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peters/for-a-time-emerson-politely-endeavored-to-conceal-his-boredom-like/) [Elizabeth Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peters/) > [... I was merely a disinterested spectator at the Banquet of Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-dundy/i-was-merely-a-disinterested-spectator-at-the-banquet-of-life/) [Elaine Dundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-dundy/) > [“Emma knew that she'd always been on the wrong side of the line that separated her from her parents, from Patrick and Annie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/emma-knew-that-she-d-always-been-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-line-that/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [Now that practical skills have developed enough to provide adequately for material needs, one of these sciences which are not devoted to utilitarian ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/now-that-practical-skills-have-developed-enough-to-provide-adequately/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“The mathematical method is disinterested in the efficient cause and the final cause or the goodness of a thing and it should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-mathematical-method-is-disinterested-in-the-efficient-cause-and/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Is science the disinterested pursuit of knowledge which the world may apply if it will? Or is it an activity always dependent upon economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-innes/is-science-the-disinterested-pursuit-of-knowledge-which-the-world-may/) [Michael Innes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-innes/) > [An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it, can preserve that public virtue without which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/an-able-disinterested-public-spirited-press-with-trained-intelligence/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Betrayal quotes > [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [There is no deceit in death. It delivers precisely what it has promised. Betrayal, though ... betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/there-is-no-deceit-in-death-it-delivers-precisely-what-it-has/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As they say in New York, Get over it and, if you can't get over it, Get over talking about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/as-they-say-in-new-york-get-over-it-and-if-you-can-t-get-over-it-get/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [“He returned her gaze, yearning for sentimental solace; love which emanated from a familiar source, mattered little how bedevilling. They shared an intimate moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/he-returned-her-gaze-yearning-for-sentimental-solace-love-which/) [A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/) > [I was always here for you,you knew you could count on me and trust me blindly, and you knew that I would never tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayssus/i-was-always-here-for-you-you-knew-you-could-count-on-me-and-trust-me/) [Michael Hayssus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayssus/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Betrayal and love are not mutually exclusive." (Mordred)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/betrayal-and-love-are-not-mutually-exclusive-mordred/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [Love comes exactly... To those who still hope, even though they've been disappointed. To those who still believe, even though they've been betrayed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mizhan/love-comes-exactly-to-those-who-still-hope-even-though-they-ve-been/) [Mizhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mizhan/) > [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Betrayal is a serious thing in this world,you know what else is serious? Being lied to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina/betrayal-is-a-serious-thing-in-this-world-you-know-what-else-is/) [Sabrina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina/) > [The greatest temptation for the like of us is: to renounce violence, to repent, to make peace with oneself. Most revolutionaries fell before this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-greatest-temptation-for-the-like-of-us-is-to-renounce-violence-to/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) [Browse all 2,050 Betrayal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are occasions on which it is noble to dare to stand alone. 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