Being thankful Quote by Thomas Carlyle
“For the superior morality, of which we hear so much, we too would desire to be thankful: at the same time, it were but blindness to deny that this superior morality is properly rather an inferior criminality, produced not by greater love of Virtue, but by greater perfection of Police; and of that far subtler and stronger Police, called Public Opinion.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Sartor Resartus, 1833
Public opinion acts as a powerful, subtle police, turning lofty morality into a form of social control.
In simple terms: Society’s norms can mask oppression as virtue.
Key Takeaway
Question the motives behind accepted morals.
Themes
philosophy
society
morality
power
public opinion
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- media analysis
- public discourse
- legal systems
Key Concepts
social control
ethical relativism
political critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does public opinion shape moral standards?
- When does morality become a tool of control?
A Different Perspective
Moral claims may conceal coercion.
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