--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What conceivable reason could one have…" description: "\"“What conceivable reason could one have for seeking after righteousness in a world which so hated righteousness?”\" — Sinclair Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/sinclair-lewis-1945_justice_what-conceivable-reason-could-one-have-f_714552.png" --- # What conceivable reason could one have for seeking after… ![“What conceivable reason could one have for seeking after righteousness in a world which so hated righteousness?” quote by Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/sinclair-lewis-1945_justice_what-conceivable-reason-could-one-have-f_714552.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/sinclair-lewis-1945_justice_what-conceivable-reason-could-one-have-f_714552.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/sinclair-lewis-1945_justice_what-conceivable-reason-could-one-have-f_714552.png) > ““What conceivable reason could one have for seeking after righteousness in a world which so hated righteousness?”” [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He questions the purpose of pursuing moral goodness in a society that despises it. **In simple terms:** Why seek righteousness when it's hated? Key Takeaway Consider the value of integrity despite opposition. Themes morality societal conflict philosophy Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - activism - personal decision making - leadership - civic engagement Key Concepts ethical integrity social criticism Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to stay moral? - Can personal virtue influence a hostile culture? A Different Perspective Righteousness may be futile without societal support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hated Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hated-righteousness-5627960/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Reason Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-seeking-5627961/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) [Righteousness World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness-world-3296326/) [Seeking Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking-righteousness-5340376/) ## Related quotes > [Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving goodness for goodness' sake, but for its rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is-not-seeking-righteousness-but/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [To hunger and thirst after righteousness is when nothing in the world can fascinate us so much as being near God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/to-hunger-and-thirst-after-righteousness-is-when-nothing-in-the-world/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [“There is in Jesus Christ more merit and righteousness than the whole world has need of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/there-is-in-jesus-christ-more-merit-and-righteousness-than-the-whole/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Trust wholly in Christ; rely captionogether on his sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by his righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/trust-wholly-in-christ-rely-captionogether-on-his-sufferings-beware/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [“Remember Matthew 6:33? “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/remember-matthew-6-33-seek-first-his-kingdom-and-his-righteousness/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Remember this-all the sighing, mourning, sobbing, and complaining in the world, does not so undeniably evidence a man to be humble, as his overlooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/remember-this-all-the-sighing-mourning-sobbing-and-complaining-in-the/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [What one thing does the world need most today-apart, that is, from the all-inclusive thing we call righteousness? Aren't you inclined to agree that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/what-one-thing-does-the-world-need-most-today-apart-that-is-from-the/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“Righteousness is faith in motion. It is the work of faith. The faith we have is expressed by the things we do. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/righteousness-is-faith-in-motion-it-is-the-work-of-faith-the-faith-we/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [“Jesus came to give his righteousness not to condemn the unrighteous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-canoza/jesus-came-to-give-his-righteousness-not-to-condemn-the-unrighteous/) [Mac Canoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-canoza/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Two Things that measure Righteousness: The Way You Manage when You Have Nothing & Way You Behave when You Have Everything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sultan/two-things-that-measure-righteousness-the-way-you-manage-when-you/) [Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sultan/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david/the-lord-is-my-shepherd-i-shall-not-want-he-maketh-me-to-lie-down-in/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) ## More by Sinclair Lewis > [“She found beauty in the children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/she-found-beauty-in-the-children/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [What is Love? Listen! It is the rainbow that stands out, in all its glorious many-colored hues, illuminating and making glad again the dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/what-is-love-listen-it-is-the-rainbow-that-stands-out-in-all-its/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [When you think that most of us are doomed by divine grace to roast in hell, to say nothing of mortgages and hail and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/when-you-think-that-most-of-us-are-doomed-by-divine-grace-to-roast-in/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [He loved the people just as much as he feared and detested persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/he-loved-the-people-just-as-much-as-he-feared-and-detested-persons/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“He had expected that traditionally Republican Vermont would give him too drearily easy a task in preaching Trowbridge. What he found was a dismaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/he-had-expected-that-traditionally-republican-vermont-would-give-him/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“Day on day he waited. So much of a revolution for so many people is nothing but waiting. That is one reason why tourists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/day-on-day-he-waited-so-much-of-a-revolution-for-so-many-people-is/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“She continued it to Hugh, 'Darling, do you know what mother and you are going to find beyond the blue horizon rim?' 'What?' flatly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/she-continued-it-to-hugh-darling-do-you-know-what-mother-and-you-are/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [Is it possible that nobody has ever known that there never has been a completely civilized man, and won't be for another thousand years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/is-it-possible-that-nobody-has-ever-known-that-there-never-has-been-a/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“I think perhaps we want a more conscientious life. We're tired of drudging and sleeping and dying. We're tired of always deferring hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/i-think-perhaps-we-want-a-more-conscientious-life-we-re-tired-of/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [It might be the doing of Satan, in whom Aaron anxiously believed with all of his being except, perhaps, his mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/it-might-be-the-doing-of-satan-in-whom-aaron-anxiously-believed-with/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“The author says one character's definition of a classic is any book he'd heard of before he was thirty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/the-author-says-one-character-s-definition-of-a-classic-is-any-book/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“Like all males, he hated to confess ignorance by asking directions,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/like-all-males-he-hated-to-confess-ignorance-by-asking-directions/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [Winter is not a season, it's an occupation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/winter-is-not-a-season-it-s-an-occupation/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“Author sees the "congested idealism" of the generally discontent as reservoir that will support centralized power even while disagreeing with many specific provisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/author-sees-the-congested-idealism-of-the-generally-discontent-as/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“The poor we have always with us, and the purpose of the Lord in providing the poor is to enable us of the better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/the-poor-we-have-always-with-us-and-the-purpose-of-the-lord-in/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) [Explore all 196 Sinclair Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) ## More Justice quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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