--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Morality and ethics are nothing but…" description: "\"Morality and ethics are nothing but footballs, wherewith people, strong people play to win points.\" — Theodore Dreiser" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/theodore-dreiser-8057_character_morality-and-ethics-are-nothing-but-foot_2618098.jpg" --- # Morality and ethics are nothing but footballs, wherewith… ![“Morality and ethics are nothing but footballs, wherewith people, strong people play to win points.” quote by Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/theodore-dreiser-8057_character_morality-and-ethics-are-nothing-but-foot_2618098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/theodore-dreiser-8057_character_morality-and-ethics-are-nothing-but-foot_2618098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/theodore-dreiser-8057_character_morality-and-ethics-are-nothing-but-foot_2618098.jpg) > “Morality and ethics are nothing but footballs, wherewith people, strong people play to win points.” [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Morality and ethics are likened to a competitive game where strong individuals dominate to score points. **In simple terms:** Ethics are treated as a game of power. Key Takeaway Recognize the influence of power in moral debates. Themes power ethics competition Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political negotiations - business competition - sportsmanship - legal disputes Key Concepts social dynamics philosophical metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How does power shape moral judgments? - Can ethics be cooperative rather than competitive? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex moral systems to a zero‑sum game. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morality and ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-and-ethics/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play to win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-to-win/) [Strong people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-people/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [Integrity, a standard of personal morality and ethics, is not relative to the situation you happen to find yourself in and doesn't sell out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/integrity-a-standard-of-personal-morality-and-ethics-is-not-relative/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [You're damn right we need a rational code of morality and ethics. 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But morality and ethics appear good only when applied to others, never on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/at-times-it-appears-easy-to-sermonise-on-morality-and-ethics-but/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [ Morality \[or ethics\] is not a subject; it is a life put to the test in dozens of moments. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/morality-or-ethics-is-not-a-subject-it-is-a-life-put-to-the-test-in/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [“As part of "moral philosophy," the concept of "natural liberty" clicks easily into place. Man, as an ethical integer, is either free to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chamberlain/as-part-of-moral-philosophy-the-concept-of-natural-liberty-clicks/) [John Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chamberlain/) > [Capitalism has neither the capacity, nor the morality, nor the ethics to solve the problems of poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/capitalism-has-neither-the-capacity-nor-the-morality-nor-the-ethics/) [Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/) > [Ah yes, the gods use us mortals as footballs!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/ah-yes-the-gods-use-us-mortals-as-footballs/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [I don't put any thought into the footballs after I choose them. When you're out there playing in front of 70,000 people, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/i-don-t-put-any-thought-into-the-footballs-after-i-choose-them-when/) [Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/) > [I'm sure that any current or past player of mine would tell you that the balls we practice with are as bad as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/i-m-sure-that-any-current-or-past-player-of-mine-would-tell-you-that/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [Footballs, basketballs, microphones, gas and grass... Just some of the few things that J-Ro likes to pass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-ro/footballs-basketballs-microphones-gas-and-grass-just-some-of-the-few/) [J-Ro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-ro/) > [I took a couple footballs to the face before I learned to catch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquem-griffin/i-took-a-couple-footballs-to-the-face-before-i-learned-to-catch/) [Shaquem Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquem-griffin/) > [We never use the condition of the footballs as an excuse. We play with whatever or kick with whatever we have to use and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/we-never-use-the-condition-of-the-footballs-as-an-excuse-we-play-with/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [I'm not limited to running or jumping or catching footballs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquise-goodwin/i-m-not-limited-to-running-or-jumping-or-catching-footballs/) [Marquise Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquise-goodwin/) ## More by Theodore Dreiser > [A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight. 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It seared and burned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/the-past-was-so-painful-at-any-point-it-seared-and-burned/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“His eyes expressed the difficulty he felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/his-eyes-expressed-the-difficulty-he-felt/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Who were these people with money, and what had they done that they should enjoy so much luxury, where others as good seemingly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/who-were-these-people-with-money-and-what-had-they-done-that-they/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [To the untraveled, territory other than their own familiar heath is invariably fascinating. 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Neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/here-were-these-two-bandying-little-phrases-drawing-purses-looking-at/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [Assure a man that he has a soul and then frighten him with old wives' tales as to what is to become of him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/assure-a-man-that-he-has-a-soul-and-then-frighten-him-with-old-wives/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [If we are to extract any joy out of our span, we must think and plan and make things better not only for ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/if-we-are-to-extract-any-joy-out-of-our-span-we-must-think-and-plan/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“In your rocking-chair, by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. 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What are you going to do about it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/you-walk-into-a-room-see-a-woman-and-something-happens-it-s-chemical/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [Theodore Dreiser Should ought to write nicer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/theodore-dreiser-should-ought-to-write-nicer/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) [Explore all 82 Theodore Dreiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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