"Every man has his moral backside which he refrains from showing unless he has to and keeps covered as long as possible with the trousers of decorum"

This quote by Georg C. Lichtenberg speaks with the idea that everybody has an ethical side that they prefer to keep concealed. It is a side that is rarely seen, and is kept covered with the "pants of decorum". This suggests that people typically put on an exterior of respectability and politeness, and that they are not always as they appear. It implies that people have a moral code that they abide by, however that they may not always show it. It is a reminder that people should not be evaluated by their external look, as there might be more to them than meets the eye. It is likewise a tip that everyone has an ethical side, which it should be respected and valued.