Absurdity Quote by Thomas Mellon
“The proposition that we should encourage wickedness and violence by exposing one side of the face to blows because we have been beaten on the other is too great an absurdity.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic Ethics Forum, 2015
Encouraging aggression by retaliating only when harmed is fundamentally unreasonable.
In simple terms: Violence be justified by past hurt.
Key Takeaway
Reject cycles of retaliation.
Themes
ethics
violence
justice
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political debate
- legal policy
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
conflict resolution
Questions to Reflect On
- When is retaliation justified?
- Can peace be achieved without any retaliation?
A Different Perspective
Some argue self-defense is necessary, complicating the claim.
![“[In many circumstances,] the most important thing about a proposition is not that it be true, but that it be interesting.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4b7/alfred-north-whitehead-836_being-true_in-many-circumstances-the-most-important_298800.jpg)
