Joseph Heller: Plunder into Philanthropy

Posted by admin on Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Joseph Heller Money Quote saying we can make others believe almost anything is opposite of reality by having a lack of character. Joseph Heller said:
 

 

“It was miraculous. It was almost no trick at all, he saw, to turn vice into virtue and slander into truth, impotence into abstinence, arrogance into humility, plunder into philanthropy, thievery into honor, blasphemy into wisdom, brutality into patriotism, and sadism into justice. Anybody could do it; it required no brains at all. It merely required no character” — Joseph Heller

 

 

In this insightful quote, author Joseph Heller seems to be commenting on how easily certain negative behaviors or traits can be rhetorically reframed and rebranded through clever manipulation of language and propaganda.

He notes it takes little real effort or intelligence to portray “vice as virtue”, turn “slander into truth”, characterize “impotence as abstinence” and so on. Heller suggests one can pass off “plunder as philanthropy”, classify “thievery as honor” and describe “brutality as patriotism” through selective framing alone.

The key interpretation is that Heller believes it requires no substantial “character” or integrity to spin wrongdoings in a positive light through deceptive semantics. He appears to be criticizing how vices can masquerade as virtues through clever but empty rhetoric that cloaks the true nature and motivations behind actions according to his perspective expressed in this insightful quote.