Awful Quote by Zygmunt Bauman
“Why are people so concerned with relativism? If you look back in history, millions of people were killed because of someone's dogmatic views, but I do not remember anybody being killed due to the tolerance of difference, to relativism; ethically relativism does not seem to be such an awful thing, really.”
About This Quote
Relativism is often feared as moral looseness, yet history shows dogmatism causes far more violence; tolerance can coexist with ethical guidance.
In simple terms: Relativism isn’t inherently harmful; dogmatism is.
Key Takeaway
Embrace tolerance while maintaining clear ethical standards.
Themes
ethics
history
dogmatism
relativism
tolerance
Mood
thoughtful
critical
balanced
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- political debate
- education curricula
- intercultural dialogue
- policy making
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
social cohesion
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance tolerance with moral accountability?
- What safeguards prevent relativism from eroding core values?
A Different Perspective
Relativism can be misused to justify moral indifference.
![“[Cultural relativism] licenses the envy of the untalented, giving rise to what has been called the revenge of failure: Those who cannot paint destroy the canons of painting; those who cannot write reject canonical literature.” quote by George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/10e/george-will-1177_books_cultural-relativism-licenses-the-envy-of_246138.jpg)
![“[Professor Greene's] reaction to GAMAY, as published in the Yale Daily News, fairly took one's breath away. He fondled the word "fascist" as though he had come up with a Dead Sea Scroll vouchsafing the key word to the understanding of God and Man at Yale. In a few sentences he used the term…” quote by William F. Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/709/william-f-buckley-jr-2-34056_daily-news_professor-greene-s-reaction-to-gamay-as_200893.jpg)
