"Vice is a creature of such hideous mien... that the more you see it the better you like it"

This quote by Finley Peter Dunne is a commentary on the human propensity to end up being desensitized to unethical habits. Dunne is recommending that the more we are exposed to vice, the more we end up being familiar with it and even start to accept it as regular. This is a hazardous cycle, as it can result in a moral decline in society. Dunne is cautioning us that if we do not take actions to combat vice, it will become increasingly accepted and even celebrated. He is advising us to take a stand against unethical behavior and to not become contented in the face of it. We should be alert in our efforts to protect our moral values and to guarantee that vice does not end up being the standard.