Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.
Jean De La FontaineRead
Anyone entrusted with power will abuse it if not also animated with the love of truth and virtue, no matter whether he be a prince, or one of the people.
Interpretation
Power can corrupt individuals unless they are motivated by truth and virtue.
This quote highlights the inherent risk of power, suggesting that without a foundation of truth and virtue, any individual, regardless of their status, is likely to misuse the power they hold. It emphasizes the importance of moral integrity and a commitment to honesty as safeguards against the corruption that often accompanies authority.
In practice
During a leadership seminar, one might quote this when discussing ethical leadership.
Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.
In everything one must consider the end.
It is good to be charitable; but to whom? That is the point. As to the ungrateful, there is not one who does not at last die miserable.
Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has its value.
Death never takes the wise man by surprise, he is always ready to go.
Everyone has his faults which he continually repeats: neither fear nor shame can cure them.
I'm bothered when people don't understand that they have an obligation to use their best measure of devotion, of resources, to sacrifice for the common good.
All religions promise a reward beyond life, in eternity, for excellences of the will or heart, but none for excellences of the head or understanding.
Every time I hear a political speech or I read those of our leaders, I am horrified at having, for years, heard nothing which sounded human. It is always the same words telling the same lies. And the fact that men accept this, that the peopleβs anger has not destroyed these hollow clowns, strikes me as proof that men attribute no importance to the way they are governed; that they gamble β yes, gamble β with a whole part of their life and their so called 'vital interests.
I believe in God, who made of one blood all nations that on earth do dwell. I believe that all men, black and brown and white, are brothers, varying through time and opportunity, in form and gift and feature, but differing in no essential particular, and alike in soul and the possibility of infinite development.
In my view, all that is necessary for faith is the belief that by doing our best we shall come nearer to success and that success in our aims (the improvement of the lot of mankind, present and future) is worth attaining...I maintain that faith in this world is perfectly possible without faith in another world.
Someone ought to do it, but why should I? Someone ought to do it, so why not I? Between these two sentences lie whole centuries of moral evolution.
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