The goody-goodies are the thieves of virtue

Another great podcast has me on the computer again to share a quote. This time it's from a talk called Man and Nature #2 by Alan Watts. I've got the whole series of talks of which this one is part. Great stuff. Here's some juice about a human tale that keeps cycling:

When people fight wars I'd trust them if the reason for which they fight a war is to expropriate somebody else's positions and women. Because they will fight a merciful war. They will not destroy the possessions and the women that they want to capture; they want to enjoy them, and that's war based on simple ordinary everyday human greed. The most awful wars that are waged are the wars waged for moral principles. You are a lousy communist. You have a philosophy that is destructive to religion and to everything that we love and value and reverence; and therefore, we will exterminate you to the last man unless you surrender unconditionally. Such wars are ruthless beyond belief. We can blow up the whole cities, wipe people out because we're not greedy; we are righteous. That is why the goody-goodies are the thieves of virtue. If you are going to do something evil, do it for a plain honest selfish motive. Don't do it in the name of God. Because if you do, it turns you into a monster who is no longer human.

 
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