"Every general increase of freedom is accompanied by some degeneracy, attributable to the same causes as the freedom"
- Charles Horton Cooley
About this Quote
This quote by Charles Horton Cooley suggests that when freedom increases, it can lead to a decline in morality or requirements of behavior. Cooley suggests that the very same aspects that result in an increase in flexibility can also cause a decrease in morality. He recommends that when individuals are offered more freedom, they may become less accountable and most likely to participate in unethical or unethical behavior. This could be due to an absence of responsibility or a sensation of entitlement that includes increased flexibility. Cooley's quote acts as a caution that liberty need to be utilized responsibly which it needs to not be taken for given. It is important to remember that with increased liberty comes increased obligation and that it is necessary to preserve a sense of morality and principles even when given more liberty.
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"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom"
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