“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right”
— Thomas Paine
Simplified Meaning:
When people do something wrong for a long time without questioning it, they start to believe it's okay. Imagine if everyone around you always littered on the streets, and nobody ever said it was bad. Over time, you might think it's normal to throw garbage anywhere because it seems like everyone does it. This is not because littering is actually good, but because it's been accepted for so long that it feels right. In history, there were times when people accepted unfair practices, like slavery, as normal. They didn't question it because it was a common part of life for a long time, even though it was very wrong. To avoid making this mistake, it’s important to think about why we do certain things and question if they’re actually right or wrong. Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it's correct. Reflecting on our actions helps ensure we're making ethical choices.
