Quotations about Morality
Using Quotations in a Speech or Text about Morality
As well as keeping your audience engaged, adding quotations to a speech or a text can significantly enhance its impact and effectiveness. Quotations are useful for explaining complex ideas concisely, much in the same way that analogies are used. Additionally, quotations from experts or celebrities can add credibility to your message.Here are some funny and poignant quotations about morality. If your speech is serious, do not automatically avoid funny quotations as they can often be the most impactful, forcing your audience into the thinking about the hidden analogous message in your selected quotation.
- "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious." (British actor Peter Ustinov)
- "When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth." (Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw)
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." Groucho Marx (American film comedian, 1890-1977)
"Guilt: the *gift*wife*dog* that keeps on giving." Erma Bombeck (American humorist, 1927-96)
"Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike." Oscar Wilde (Irish dramatist and poet, 1854-1900)
"Morality is the difference between what's right and what you can get away with." H. L. Mencken (American journalist and literary critic, 1880-1956)
"Morality is always the product of terror; its chains and strait-waistcoats are fashioned by those who dare not trust others, because they dare not trust themselves, to walk in liberty." Aldous Huxley (English novelist, 1894-1963)
Morality is a private and costly *luxury.*business.*pastime.* Henry B. Adams (American historian, 1838-1918)
"Morality is the butter on the bread of life." Albert Schweitzer (Franco-German missionary, 1875-1965)
"Morality is a venereal disease. Its primary stage is called virtue; its secondary stage, boredom; its tertiary stage, syphilis." Karl Kraus (Austrian satirist, 1874-1936)
"Morality is the invention of the human mind for the convenience of human behavior." Robert Pirsig (American writer and philosopher, 1928-2017)
The first principle of moral behavior is to abstain from *harm.*wine.*sex.* Albert Schweitzer (Franco-German missionary, 1875-1965)
"Morality is not a subject; it is a life put to the test in dozens of moments." Albert Camus (French novelist, dramatist, and essayist, 1913-60)
"Morality is the herd instinct in the individual." Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher, 1844-1900)
"The foundation of morality should not be made dependent on myth nor tied to any authority lest doubt about the myth or about the legitimacy of the authority imperil the foundation of sound judgment and action." Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist, 1879-1955)
"Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike." Oscar Wilde (Irish dramatist and poet, 1854-1900)
"Morality is the basis for things and truth is the substance of all morality." Mahatma Gandhi (Indian statesman, 1869-1948)
"Morality is the *conscience*habits*folklore* of the individual within the community." Ludwig von Mises (Austrian economist and sociologist, 1881-1973)
"Morality is not just any old topic in psychology but close to our conception of the meaning of life." Derek Parfit (British philosopher, 1942-2017)
"Morality is the foundation of all social improvement." Gustave Le Bon (French polymath, 1841-1931)
"Morality is not a matter of convenience; it is a matter of conscience." Archbishop Desmond Tutu (South African Anglican bishop, 1931-2021)
"Throwing *acid*a party*a two sixes* is wrong – in some people's eyes." Jimmy Carr (Irish comedian, 1972-)
"A woman can look both moral and exciting – if she also looks as if it was quite a struggle." Edna Ferber (American writer, 1887-1968)
"When it comes to the morality of our ancestors, none of us can boast much; the records do not show that Adam and Eve were married." E. W. Howe (American novelist and editor, 1853-1937)
"If people want a sense of purpose, they should get it from their archbishops. They should not hope to receive it from their politicians." Harold Macmillan (British Conservative statesman, 1894-1986)
"Being moral isn't what you do...it's what you mean to do." Bette Midler (American actress, 1945-)
"I think *fidelity*mandatory dancing*a wheelchair* is a very good idea...now that I can't walk." John Mortimer (English novelist, barrister, and dramatist, 1923-2009)
"That woman speaks eighteen languages, and can't say 'No' in any of them." Dorothy Parker (American critic and humorist, 1893-1967)
"I'm very mild,
I'm very meek,
My will is strong,
but my won't is weak."
Cole Porter (American songwriter, 1891-1964)
"Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" William Shakespeare (English dramatist, 1564-1616)
"If your morals make you dreary, depend upon it they are wrong." Robert Louis Stevenson (Scottish novelist, 1850-94)
Moral indignation is jealousy with a *halo.*a cherry on top.*knobs on.* H. G. Wells (English novelist, 1866-1946)
Thinking Template for a Speech or Text on Morality
Below are 3 funny themes and 3 serious themes related to morality. These have been included to help you identify areas to explore.Funny Themes:
- Moral Dilemmas: Hilarious Quandaries and Ethical Mishaps
- Share amusing stories of moral dilemmas or funny anecdotes about ethical quandaries, highlighting the humor in awkward or absurd situations.
- Comedy of Ethics: The Funniest Moral Slip-Ups
- Highlight some of the funniest and most memorable moral slip-ups, showcasing the comedic side of misunderstandings or misguided attempts at doing the right thing.
- Morally Ambiguous: Funny Tales of Gray Areas
- Explore humorous anecdotes about navigating moral gray areas, discussing the complexities and laughter in dilemmas where right and wrong aren't clear-cut.
Serious Themes:
- Ethics in Everyday Life: Making Ethical Decisions
- Discuss the importance of ethics in everyday life, addressing principles such as honesty, integrity, and respect for others, and how to apply them in various situations.
- Morality and Society: Cultural Perspectives
- Address cultural perspectives on morality, discussing how societal norms, values, and beliefs shape ethical behavior and decision-making processes.
- Ethical Leadership: Integrity and Responsibility
- Explore the role of ethical leadership in organizations and communities, discussing principles of transparency, accountability, and promoting ethical standards.
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