It is not because men's desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak." - Meaning and context.">
On Liberty (1859)

It is not because men's desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak.

— John Stuart Mill

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It is not because men's desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak." in the context of "On Liberty (1859)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "John Stuart Mill" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
John Stuart Mill

About John Stuart Mill

John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.