Adulthood Quote by Susan Sontag
“Someone who is perennially surprised that depravity exists, who continues to feel disillusioned (even incredulous) when confronted with evidence of what humans are capable of inflicting in the way of gruesome, hands-on cruelties upon other humans, has not reached moral or psychological adulthood.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “Regarding the Pain of Others,” 2003
Moral immaturity is shown by perpetual shock at human cruelty without growth.
In simple terms: Shock at cruelty shows immaturity.
Key Takeaway
Develop moral maturity through confronting evil.
Themes
morality
psychology
human cruelty
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- education
- counseling
- human rights work
Key Concepts
ethical development
psychological growth
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we transform shock into action?
- What steps foster psychological maturity?
A Different Perspective
Constant shock can lead to desensitization.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
