Dennis Prager Quotes

There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity

There can be no question of holding forth on ethics. I have seen people behave badly with great morality and I note every day that integrity has no need of rules

Integrity is hard work. I do think the internet makes it harder because of the temptations of performance. You can perform and have integrity, but it's easier just to perform. So the temptations of social media lead to some dissonance.

Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.

One’s concern with the ethics of means and ends varies inversely with one’s personal interest in the issue.

What passes in the world for talent or dexterity or enterprise is often only a want of moral principle. We may succeed where others fail, not from a greater share of invention, but from not being nice in the choice of expedients.

No man is really honest; none of us is above the influence of gain.

People need a moral code, to help them make decisions. All this bio-yogurt virtue and financial self-righteousness are just filling the gap in the market. But the problem is that it's all backwards. It's not that you do the right thing and hope it pays off; the morally right thing is by definition the thing that gives the biggest payoff.

There's more than one way to get to the goal that you want to get to, but once you compromise your own principles, then you're lost. You're really lost.

But the culture has failed, almost entirely, in inculcating internal controls on actions that have their origin in authority. For this reason, the latter constitutes a far greater danger to human survival.

There are people who think that honesty is always the best policy. This is a superstition. There are times when the appearance of it is worth six of it.

He that departs with his own honesty For Vulgar , doth it too dearly buy.

An action is the perfection and publication of thought. A right action seems to fill the eye, and to be related to all nature.

As to the permanent interest of individuals in the aggregated interests of the community, and in the proverbial maxim, that honesty is the best policy, present temptation is often found to be an overmatch for those considerations.

A cowardly act! What do I care about that? You may be sure that I should never fear to commit one if it were to my advantage.

Ethics is a code of values which guide our choices and actions and determine the purpose and course of our lives.

May we be people of honesty and integrity trying to do the right thing at all times and in all circumstances.

Integrity is important in building relationships. And is the foundation upon which many other qualities for success are built, such as respect, dignity, and trust.

The man of character, sensitive to the meaning of what he is doing, will know how to discover the ethical paths in the maze of possible behavior.

To do evil that good may come of it is for bunglers in politics as well as morals.

No matter what is the environment around you, it is always possible to maintain your brand of integrity

Principles do not mainly influence even the principled; we talk on principle, but we act on interest.

Plunder is morally wrong. It ruins your credibility.

Do what's right and you'll please some of the people and astound the rest.

Corruption never has been compulsory; when the cities lie at the monster's feet there are left the mountains.