"In the abstract conception of universal wrong, all concrete responsibility vanishes"
- Theodor Adorno
About this Quote
In this quote, Theodor Adorno is revealing his belief that when we consider wrongdoing in basic, in an abstract sense, it can be easy to forget the individuals who are accountable for that misbehavior. It ends up being simple to paint broad strokes and make generalizations, without acknowledging the particular actions and inspirations of those who are doing wrong. In other words, when we speak about universal misdeed, we risk losing sight of the human element and the private firm that has actually triggered that wrongdoing. This can make it challenging to hold people accountable for their actions and to take significant steps towards justice and modification.
"I believe that successfully addressing our national security needs while protecting our basic freedoms and civil liberties requires continual Congressional oversight, and I will continue to work to assert the role of this body in carrying out this grave responsibility"
"Our DNA is as a consumer company - for that individual customer who's voting thumbs up or thumbs down. That's who we think about. And we think that our job is to take responsibility for the complete user experience. And if it's not up to par, it's our fault, plain and simply"
"In the last analysis, the individual person is responsible for living his own life and for "finding himself." If he persists in shifting his responsibility to somebody else, he fails to find out the meaning of his own existence"
