--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By time-honored esthetic and moral…" description: "\"“By time-honored esthetic and moral standards the knowing modern man, and woman, is a barely polite gangster; his machine-gun is his mind, ideas his bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/seymour-krim-56848_goals_by-time-honored-esthetic-and-moral-stand_425352.jpg" --- # By time-honored esthetic and moral standards the knowing… ![“By time-honored esthetic and moral standards the knowing modern man, and woman, is a barely polite gangster; his machine-gun is his mind, ideas his bullets, power and possession his goals. The reduction of the real to the usable has been whittled into a necessity by the impossible number of…” quote by Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/seymour-krim-56848_goals_by-time-honored-esthetic-and-moral-stand_425352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/seymour-krim-56848_goals_by-time-honored-esthetic-and-moral-stand_425352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/seymour-krim-56848_goals_by-time-honored-esthetic-and-moral-stand_425352.jpg) > ““By time-honored esthetic and moral standards the knowing modern man, and woman, is a barely polite gangster; his machine-gun is his mind, ideas his bullets, power and possession his goals. The reduction of the real to the usable has been whittled into a necessity by the impossible number of potential choices within himself: he knows, after juggling more thoughts than he can reach conclusions about, that he must snap down the lid of fruitless speculation and use the precious energy for making warheads on the spears of practicality. Victims of their own subjective desperation, pigmies under the heavens of thought that dot the roof of their minds with a million perverse stars, converge upon the external prizes of life like hordes released from prison: eager to bury the intolerable freedom of the mind’s insanity in the beautiful sanity of – making it!”” [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern individuals are likened to gangsters, using intellect as weapons, overwhelmed by choices, leading to aggressive, practical pursuits at the expense of deeper thought. **In simple terms:** People treat thoughts as weapons, overwhelmed, choose practical aggression over reflection. Key Takeaway Balance thoughtful reflection with practical action. Themes philosophy culture psychology Mood critical reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - creative work - decision making - personal development Key Concepts cognitive overload modernism ethical decline Questions to Reflect On - What drives the shift from reflection to aggression? - Can we reclaim mental freedom? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on practicality can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Man and woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-and-woman/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“If sanity is a frame of mind then insanity must be a mind without a frame”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-v-v-parnell/if-sanity-is-a-frame-of-mind-then-insanity-must-be-a-mind-without-a/) Christopher V.V. Parnell > [“Fear is the gun for which your mind provides the bullets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caron-rider/fear-is-the-gun-for-which-your-mind-provides-the-bullets/) Caron Rider > [When a person has a gun, sometimes their mind clicks that this thing will win arguments and straighten people out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/when-a-person-has-a-gun-sometimes-their-mind-clicks-that-this-thing/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-this-i-believe-that-the-free-exploring-mind-of-the-individual-2/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Freedom of mind is the real freedom. A person whose mind is not free though he may not be in chains, is a slave,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freedom-of-mind-is-the-real-freedom-a-person-whose-mind-is-not-free/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This is true freedom: a mind that is no longer deceived by itself. Ruth:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/this-is-true-freedom-a-mind-that-is-no-longer-deceived-by-itself-ruth/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [“Freedom of the mind requires not only, or not even specially, the absence of legal constraints but the presence of alternative thoughts. 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And this I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-this-i-believe-that-the-free-exploring-mind-of-the-individual-4/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Seymour Krim > [One life was never quite enough for what I had in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-krim/one-life-was-never-quite-enough-for-what-i-had-in-mind/) [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) > [ Insanity and psychosis can no longer be respected as meaningful \[terms\] - but are used by limited individuals in positions of social power to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-krim/insanity-and-psychosis-can-no-longer-be-respected-as-meaningful-terms/) [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) > [We know all along that time is squeezing us into a corner while we mentally rocket to each new star that flares across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-krim/we-know-all-along-that-time-is-squeezing-us-into-a-corner-while-we/) [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) > [That's what this democracy was for us, a huge supermarket of mass man where we could take a piece here and a piece there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-krim/that-s-what-this-democracy-was-for-us-a-huge-supermarket-of-mass-man/) [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) > [It is still your work or role that finally gives you your definition in our society, and the thousands upon thousands of people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-krim/it-is-still-your-work-or-role-that-finally-gives-you-your-definition/) [Seymour Krim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) [Explore all 6 Seymour Krim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-krim/) ## More Goals quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“By time-honored esthetic and moral standards the knowing modern man, and woman, is a barely polite gangster; his machine-gun is his mind, ideas his bullets, power and possession his goals. 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