Definitions HQ

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠such that we only set value on any particular virtue when we perceive that it is entirely lacking in our adversary.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not 'good' for the one who possesses it, but for society.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠praised not out of selflessness, but on account that virtues (industriousness, obedience, chastity, filial piety, and justice) are usually harmful for those who possess them but beneficial to society at large.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠ruthlessness against oneself, a sacrifice of the self whereby, though a good person is lost, the attitude of the sacrificial animal is confirmed through the sacrifice for all to see, which is of greater and of more lasting significance.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠praised because it is a specific species instinct of unreason which benefits society, harms the individual, and transforms the individual into a mere function of the whole.

Virtue (n.) gives ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠only the illusion of private advantage: while industriousness creates wealth and allows one to reap honors, at the same time it deprives the organs of their subtlety, which alone would make possible the' enjoyment of wealth and honor.

Virtue (n.) gives ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠only the illusion of private advantage: industrious, as a chief antidote to boredom and the passions, blunts the senses and leads the spirit to resist new attractions, such that modernity does not know how to make anything of all its industriousness and money, except always still more money and still more industriousness.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠always a public utility and a private disadvantage (i.e. obedience, chastity, filial piety, and justice) measured against the supreme private goal... resulting in impoverishment of the spirit and the senses.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠praised by the neighbor because it brings the neighbor advantages if the neighbor were any good, he would repudiate this self-mutilation as a diminution of strength that does no individual good, not least himself.

Virtue (n.) hypertrophied ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠can ruin a nation as effectively as a hypertrophied vice; when we cultivate our virtues we cultivate our faults.

Virtue (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠any kind — justice, bravery, sympathy — becomes a virtue only by rising against the blind power of the factual and the tyranny of the actual; it always swims against the tide of history.

Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠now an old-fashioned word that makes teachers and pupils smile — and it is worse if one does not smile, for then one is a hypocrite.

Virtue (n.) and ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠goodness are easy; there is only one kind of toil — that of him who has not yet become free.

Virtue (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠its privileges — for example, that of bringing to a condemned man's stake its own little bundle of wood.

Virtue (n.) began ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as compulsion, became custom, then voluntary obedience, then almost instinct — and once habitual and pleasant, took the name of virtue.

Virtue (n.) needs ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠forgiving — 'Forgive us our virtues' — that is how one should pray to men.

A Virtue (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠honoured only once it has visibly decided the fate of whole societies; then everyone lays his best at its feet, the poet gives it a pedigree, and like a statue worked on by love it becomes a temple and a divine personage.

Virtue (n.) in ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the New Testament is a canon of impossible virtue: set up so the striver despairs of it and throws himself on the bosom of the merciful.

Virtue (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is real and whole makes you its victim, and your neighbor praises it precisely on that account.

Virtue (n.) as ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the old teachers of virtue taught it is a sleeping pill: wake in order to sleep well.