“Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain - and since labor is pain in itself - it follows that men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work. History shows this quite clearly. And under these conditions, neither religion nor morality can stop it. When, then, does plunder stop? It stops when it becomes more painful and more dangerous than labor.” MenDoeShowsPainConditionsDangerousMoralityEasierLaborPainfulResortsPlunder Book:The Law Source: The Law
“If the knowledge of torture of others makes you sick, it is a case of sympathy... It can be argued that behaviour based on sympathy is in an important sense egoistic, for one is oneself pleased at others' pleasure and pained at others' pain, and the pursuit of one's own utility may thus be helped by sympathetic action.” IfsMayImportantActionPainReligionPleasureCasesMoralitySickOneselfPursuitTortureBehaviourUtilitySympatheticPain And Pleasure Book:Choice, Welfare and Measurement Source: Choice, Welfare and Measurement
“Through inculcating the notion that sacrifice is a virtue, Christianity has succeeded in convincing many people that misery incurred through sacrifice is a mark of virtue. Pain becomes the inignia of morality - and conversely, pleasure becomes the insignia of immorality. Christianity, therefore, does not say, "Go forth and be miserable." Rather, it says, "Go forth and practice the virtue of self-sacrifice." In practical terms, these commands are identical.” PeopleDoeSelfPainTermPleasureChristianityPracticeVirtueSacrificeAtheismMoralityMarkMiseryNotionPositive AtheismPracticalsCommandMiserableConvincingIdenticalSelf SacrificeImmorality Author:George H. Smith
“If morality had naturally no influence on human passions and actions, it were in vain to take such pains to inculcate it; and nothing would be more fruitless than that multitude of rules and precepts with which all moralists abound.” IfsHumansWould BeActionPainPassionInfluenceMoralityVainMultitudesMoralist Book:A Treatise of Human Nature: Revision of Great Book Source: A Treatise of Human Nature: Revision of Great Book