Seneca the Younger Quotes

Democracy substitutes self-restraint for external restraint. It is more difficult to maintain than to achieve.

I take it as a man's duty to restrain himself.

It is absolutely impossible at the same time to be a man of understanding and not to be ashamed to gratify the body.

When I grew up, shame was used as a tool for check and balance. If you stood a chance of hearing someone say, "Shame on you," or "You should be ashamed of yourself," you thought twice. It doesn't seem to be a factor today.

Whilst shame keeps its watch, virtue is not wholly extinguished in the heart; nor will moderation be utterly exiled from the minds of tyrants.

Yes, we have the freedom to do what we please, but it only works because we don't do everything we might please - we should exercise some degree of personal, and corporate, responsibility.

If it was necessary to tolerate in other people everything that one permits oneself, life would be unbearable.

It is his restraint that is honorable to a person, not their liberty.

The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.

It is a monstrous thing that I will say, but I will say it all the same: I find in many things more restraint and order in my morals than in my opinions, and my lust less depraved than my reason.

Living with a conscience is like driving with the brakes on.

The New England conscience does not stop you from doing what you shouldn't-it just stops you from enjoying it.

I suffer from Irish-Catholic guilt. Guilt is a good reality check. It keeps that 'do what makes you happy' thing in check.

To choose ways of not acting was ever the concern and scruple of my life.

Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.

I have a huge and savage conscience that won't let me get away with things.

Where would we be without inhibitions? They're quite useful things when you look at some of the things humans do if they lose them.

Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere; and the less of it there is within, the more of it there must be without.

Men are satisfied commonly if they can so regulate their lives as to escape the censure of men, and the disgrace which follows wicked actions.

The passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.

Laws don't really restrain people. Ninety-eight percent of people follow a virtuous course with or without laws.

My father was the classic Puritan. Hold the emotions in check. Keep up appearances.

A personal code of conduct that you follow is far better than a social code of conduct that you are forced to follow.

It's a lot easier knowing you can't do something than knowing you shouldn't.

The Anglo-Saxon conscience does not prevent the Anglo-Saxon from sinning, it merely prevents him from enjoying his sin.