Jonathan Haidt Quotes

That which is selfish is immoral, and that which is unselfish is moral.

Morality binds people into groups. It gives us tribalism, it gives us genocide, war, and politics. But it also gives us heroism, altruism, and sainthood.

If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.

This idea of selfishness as a virtue, as opposed to generosity: That, to me, is unnatural.

The moral law commands us to make the highest possible good in a world the final object of all our conduct.

You can see how he changed on the surface. But at the core of it all, I think Superman has remained the same - a character with incredible powers but almost superhuman humility and restraint.

Those who intend on becoming great should love neither themselves nor their own things, but only what is just, whether it happens to be done by themselves or others.

Don't overestimate the decency of the human race.

There are men whom a happy disposition, a strong desire of glory and esteem, inspire with the same love for justice and virtue which men in general have for riches and honors... But the number of these men is so small that I only mention them in honor of humanity.

We need leadership that can elevate religion and morality to their position of paramount importance and thus eliminate growing selfishness, immorality and materialism.

The moralist is the person who tells people that they ought to be unselfish, when they still feel like egos, and his efforts are always and invariably futile.

Individual versus group selection results in a mix of altruism and selfishness, of virtue and sin, among the members of a society.

Every act, every deed of justice and mercy and benevolence, makes heavenly music in Heaven.

What is the purpose of our might if we do not use it for good.

If you've developed an ideology that what's good for you personally also happens to be good for everyone else, that's quite wonderful because there's no moral tension.

I think Jughead is a pretty trustworthy character - not only a narrator. I think he might be selfish, but he's obviously selfish, and that is comforting to me. I also think he has a really strong moral fiber and a propensity for good, and he tries to cultivate that in other people.

I am not selfish.

I only help the superheroes, I don't help the villains.

Men have been taught that their first concern is to relieve the suffering of others. ... To make that the highest test of virtue is to make suffering the most important part of life. Then man must wish to see others suffer in order that he may be virtuous. Such is the nature of altruism.

I don't believe I'm selfish in any way.

If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that /needs/ no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all... why then perhaps we /must/ stand fast a little --even at the risk of being heroes.

He, who practices right, but in the hope of acquiring great renown, is very near to vice.

There's nothing about me that's selfish.

Justice extorts no reward, no kind of price; she is sought, therefore, for her own sake.

Selfishness has never been admired.