--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are easily shocked by crimes which…" description: "\"We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in their full magnitude, but the gradual growth of our own wickedness, endeared by interest, and p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/samuel-johnson-50_artifice_we-are-easily-shocked-by-crimes-which-ap_2190536.jpg" --- # We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in… ![“We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in their full magnitude, but the gradual growth of our own wickedness, endeared by interest, and palliated by all the artifices of self-deceit, gives us time to form distinctions in our own favor” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/samuel-johnson-50_artifice_we-are-easily-shocked-by-crimes-which-ap_2190536.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/samuel-johnson-50_artifice_we-are-easily-shocked-by-crimes-which-ap_2190536.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/samuel-johnson-50_artifice_we-are-easily-shocked-by-crimes-which-ap_2190536.jpg) > “We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in their full magnitude, but the gradual growth of our own wickedness, endeared by interest, and palliated by all the artifices of self-deceit, gives us time to form distinctions in our own favor” [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. Human nature often ignores slow moral decline, focusing on dramatic crimes while rationalizing everyday corruption. **In simple terms:** People notice big crimes more than their own gradual bad habits. Key Takeaway Watch your small compromises. Themes morality self-awareness corruption Mood reflective critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - politics - business - personal relationships - environmental policy Key Concepts ethical decay self-deception interest Questions to Reflect On - What small habits have you rationalized? - How can you recognize subtle moral decline? A Different Perspective Gradual wickedness can be justified, making it hard to confront. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artifice/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Crimes Appear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimes-appear-4769068/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Growth Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-wickedness-4769067/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Magnitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnitude/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-deceit-413437/) [Shocked Crimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shocked-crimes-4769065/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness/) [Wickedness Endeared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness-endeared-4769066/) ## Related quotes > [Such is the common process of marriage. 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No dream was ever realized by disappearing into the shadows of self-deceit and doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaeda-dewalt/whomever-you-truly-are-honor-that-person-no-dream-was-ever-realized/) [Jaeda DeWalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaeda-dewalt/) > [“It’s the truth I’m after, and the truth never harmed anyone. What harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-s-the-truth-i-m-after-and-the-truth-never-harmed-anyone-what-harms/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [It's very difficult to escape your background. You know, I don't think it's necessary to even try to escape it. More and more, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-very-difficult-to-escape-your-background-you-know-i-don-t-think/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [If anyone can refute me-show me I'm making a mistake or looking at things from the wrong perspective-I'l l gladly change. It's the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-anyone-can-refute-me-show-me-i-m-making-a-mistake-or-looking-at/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what every man wishes, that he also believes to be true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-easier-than-self-deceit-for-what-every-man-wishes-that-he/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [“Ours is a world full of self-deceit, my friend. But it is at the same time a world full of sincere truth seeking, scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanzi-freinacht/ours-is-a-world-full-of-self-deceit-my-friend-but-it-is-at-the-same/) [Hanzi Freinacht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanzi-freinacht/) > [“As for self-deceit, most people find it as essential for survival as air. You rarely indulge in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/as-for-self-deceit-most-people-find-it-as-essential-for-survival-as/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each me wishes, that he also believes is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-easier-than-self-deceit-for-what-each-me-wishes-that-he/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Just as surely as distress must follow self-deceit, healing must follow self-honesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/just-as-surely-as-distress-must-follow-self-deceit-healing-must/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Self-deceit is a sure defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/self-deceit-is-a-sure-defeat/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) ## 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. 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