The actual sight of a first-class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build.
Booker T. WashingtonRead
Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Surrounding yourself with positive individuals is essential for personal growth and happiness.
This quote emphasizes the importance of choosing friends who enhance your life rather than detract from it. Associating with individuals of good character can lead to a more fulfilling life, whereas being in the company of negative influences can have detrimental effects on your well-being. Ultimately, it suggests that solitude is preferable to toxic relationships.
Themes
QualityCompanyFriendsInfluenceSolitude
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal growth.
More from Booker T. Washington
All quotes βLeaders have devoted themselves to politics, little knowing, it seems _x000D_ that political independence disappears without economic independence _x000D_ that economic independence is the foundation of political independence.
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You go to school, you study about the Germans and the French, but not about your own race. I hope the time will come when you study black history too.
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Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.
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I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.
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If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother.
Booker T. WashingtonRead
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