--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not enough to abolish abuse; custom…" description: "\"“It's not enough to abolish abuse; custom must also be transformed. The mill was pulled down, but the wind still blows.”\" — Victor Hugo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/victor-hugo-32_abuse_it-s-not-enough-to-abolish-abuse-custom_2313998.jpg" --- # It's not enough to abolish abuse; custom must also be… ![“It's not enough to abolish abuse; custom must also be transformed. The mill was pulled down, but the wind still blows.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/victor-hugo-32_abuse_it-s-not-enough-to-abolish-abuse-custom_2313998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/victor-hugo-32_abuse_it-s-not-enough-to-abolish-abuse-custom_2313998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/victor-hugo-32_abuse_it-s-not-enough-to-abolish-abuse-custom_2313998.jpg) > ““It's not enough to abolish abuse; custom must also be transformed. The mill was pulled down, but the wind still blows.”” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Abolishing oppression isn’t enough; the underlying cultural habits must also change, otherwise the same harms persist. **In simple terms:** Ending abuse needs cultural change too. Key Takeaway Transform harmful customs. Themes justice culture change systemic oppression Mood reflective determined Type philosophical social critique When to use this quote - policy reform - education programs - community activism Key Concepts social norms institutional reform power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies shift deep‑seated habits? - What role does education play in cultural transformation? A Different Perspective Changing customs is slow and may meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolish Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolish-abuse-5507219/) [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse Custom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-custom-5507220/) [Pulled Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulled-wind-5507221/) [Wind Blows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind-blows/) ## Related quotes > [“Every time that the wind blows it bears with it more of the dreams of men than of the clouds of heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/every-time-that-the-wind-blows-it-bears-with-it-more-of-the-dreams-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Well, I aren't like a bird-clapper, forced to make a rattle when the wind blows on me. I can keep my own counsel when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/well-i-aren-t-like-a-bird-clapper-forced-to-make-a-rattle-when-the/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Me? I go wherever the wind blows…and wherever the whiskey shots are half price.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-elson/me-i-go-wherever-the-wind-blows-and-wherever-the-whiskey-shots-are/) [Nicki Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-elson/) > [When a strong wind blows, the clouds vanish and blue sky appears. Similarly, when the powerful wisdom that understand the nature of the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thubten-yeshe/when-a-strong-wind-blows-the-clouds-vanish-and-blue-sky-appears/) [Thubten Yeshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thubten-yeshe/) > [Let us not be surprised when we have to face difficulties. When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/let-us-not-be-surprised-when-we-have-to-face-difficulties-when-the/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [Everything is crashing and burning. It will remain there until you let it go. Like the ashes have to go away .The world dont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-is-crashing-and-burning-it-will-remain-there-until-you-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You left like a leaf that the wind blows away without looking back..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannnethh/you-left-like-a-leaf-that-the-wind-blows-away-without-looking-back/) [Jannnethh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannnethh/) > [Happiness comes the way the wind blows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/happiness-comes-the-way-the-wind-blows/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [It is a hard matter for a man to lie all over, nature having provided king's evidence in almost every member. The hand will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/it-is-a-hard-matter-for-a-man-to-lie-all-over-nature-having-provided/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall-2/the-wind-blows-where-it-wishes-and-you-hear-its-sound-but-you-do-not/) [R.T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall-2/) > [Life is like wind. When it blows, it washes everything away, so clutch onto what you are holding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-forgotten/life-is-like-wind-when-it-blows-it-washes-everything-away-so-clutch/) [The Forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-forgotten/) > [The same wind blows on us all; the winds of disaster, opportunity and change. Therefore, it is not the blowing of the wind, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-same-wind-blows-on-us-all-the-winds-of-disaster-opportunity-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Music is a wind that blows away the years, memories, and fear, that crouching animal I carry inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/music-is-a-wind-that-blows-away-the-years-memories-and-fear-that/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [Not I, not I, but the wind that blows through me! A fine wind is blowing the new direction of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/not-i-not-i-but-the-wind-that-blows-through-me-a-fine-wind-is-blowing/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. They're just as amusing as women and animals and they're much less trecherous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/first-i-loved-women-then-animals-and-now-i-love-stones-they-re-just/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The peasants of the Asturias believe that in every litter of wolves there is one pup that is killed by the mother for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peasants-of-the-asturias-believe-that-in-every-litter-of-wolves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/great-blunders-are-often-made-like-large-ropes-of-a-multitude-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“For love is like a tree; it grows of itself; it send its roots deep into our being, and often continues to grow green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/for-love-is-like-a-tree-it-grows-of-itself-it-send-its-roots-deep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Blacheville smiles with the self-satisfied smugness of a man whose vanity is tickled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/blacheville-smiles-with-the-self-satisfied-smugness-of-a-man-whose/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Loving in ignorance, she loved with all the more passion. She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's not enough to abolish abuse; custom must also be transformed. 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