Julian Baggini Quotes & Sayings

“The greatest moral failing is to condemn something as a moral failing: no vice is worse than being judgmental.”

“The optimist underestimates how difficult it is to achieve real change, believing that anything is possible and it's possible now. Only by confronting head-on the reality that all progress is going to be obstructed by vested interests and corrupted by human venality can we create realistic programmes that actually have a chance of success.”

“No matter how convinced we are that someone is nasty, evil or just plain criminal, if they have not been convicted of any crime and support views that are upheld and defended by many law-abiding citizens, the only way to tackle them is through democratic debate.”

“Waiting is so unusual that many of us can't stand in a queue for 30 seconds without getting out our phones to check for messages or to Google something.”

“Any celebration meal to which guests are invited, be they family or friends, should be an occasion for generous hospitality.”

“It's not leftovers that are wasteful, but those who either don't know what to do with them or can't be bothered.”

“Constructive complaint requires only two things: that what you are complaining about should be different, and that it can be different. It sounds simple, but too often our protests fail this test.”

“Accepting that the world is full of uncertainty and ambiguity does not and should not stop people from being pretty sure about a lot of things.”

“Untested assumptions and lazy habits of thought can be shown up, once put in a spotlight of a different hue.”

“Looking out over the port of Dover, with the endless steam of boats coming in and out, every British citizen is reminded that belonging here has never been about blood or genes. It's simply about being at home on this discrete island and being aware of the privileges and responsibilities that brings.”