Michael Pollan Quotes

I think morality is so individual and personal, and people draw their own lines of what that means for them.

I think, like most people, my moral values tend to be pretty fuzzy.

There is really no right and wrong. I recognize no right and wrong.

Are right and wrong convertible terms, dependant upon popular opinion?

I have a strong moral sense - by my standards.

I have no point in my system or morals where I say, 'This is too far.'

I don't see the benefit in giving yourself a belief system that allows you to judge other people.

What I cannot live with may not bother another man's conscience. The result is that conscience will stand against conscience.

I judge people by their own principles..not by my own

I was raised thinking that moral and ethical standards are universals that apply equally to everyone. And these values aren't easily compatible with the kind of religion that posits a Creator. To my way of thinking, an omnipotent being who sets up a universe in which thinking beings proliferate, grow old, and die (usually in agony, alone, and in fear) is a cosmic sadist.

Principles are natural laws that are external to us and that ultimately control the consequences of our actions. Values are internal and subjective and represent that which we feel strongest about in guiding our behavior.

You gotta judge a man by his principles.

There are many religions, but there is only one morality.

We don't claim to have perfect morals, but at least we have a huge area of things that, while legal, are beneath us. We won't do them. Currently, there's a culture in Americathat says that anything that won't send you to prison is OK.

A different vision of ethics is that of a collection of resources people can use to act better. The resources might be firm rules that could always be relied on. Or they might be ideals that could often be followed without thinking but that sometimes conflicted with one another.

We all live in the protection of certain cowardices which we call our principles.

Morals are a matter of private agreement; decency is of public concern.

Morality is not defined and cannot be defined by individual choice.

Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.

A man's got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter his job.

Morality is the thing upon which your friends smile, and immorality is the thing upon which they frown

People have been raised in a morality that says, "If it feels all right for you, it's probably OK."

I don't believe in princerple, But oh I du in interest.

In reality, moral rules are directions for running the human machine. Every moral rule is there to prevent a breakdown, or a strain, or a friction, in the running of that machine. That is why these rules at first seem to be constantly interfering with our natural inclinations.

Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining 'It's not fair' before you can say Jack Robinson.