Man never knows what he wants; he aspires to penetrate mysteries and as soon as he has, wants to re-establish them. Ignorance irritates him and knowledge cloys.
Henri Frederic AmielRead
Civilization is first of all a moral thing. Without truth, respect for duty, love of neighbor, and virtue, everything is destroyed. The morality of a society is alone the basis of civilization.
Interpretation
Civilization is built on moral values, and without them, it collapses.
This quote emphasizes the foundational role of morality in the structure and sustainability of civilization. It suggests that virtues such as truth, duty, love, and respect are essential for a thriving society, and without these principles, civilization loses its meaning and integrity.
In practice
In a keynote speech on social ethics, one might say, 'Remember, civilization is first of all a moral thing.'
Man never knows what he wants; he aspires to penetrate mysteries and as soon as he has, wants to re-establish them. Ignorance irritates him and knowledge cloys.
Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.
Any landscape is a condition of the spirit.
True love is that which ennobles the personality, fortifies the heart, and sanctifies the existence.
It is by teaching that we teach ourselves, by relating that we observe, by affirming that we examine, by showing that we look, by writing that we think, by pumping that we draw water into the well.
A man must be able to cut a knot, for everything cannot be untied; he must know how to disengage what is essential from the detail in which it is enwrapped, for everything cannot be equally considered; in a word, he must be able to simplify his duties, his business and his life.
Attention, if sudden and close, graduates into surprise; and this into astonishment; and this into stupefied amazement.
The empty blue sky of space says 'All this comes back to me, then goes again, and comes back again, then goes again, and I don't care, it still belongs to me
I wrote the song "Show Me" as a prayer to God asking simple, honest questions about life and death and why there is so much suffering in the world. As I grew with the song I realized I shouldn't limit these questions solely to God; I should ask those questions of others and of myself.
Holiness is not for wimps and the cross is not negotiable, sweetheart, it's a requirement.
I don't think pandemics make us afraid of death, I think they make us afraid of oblivion. They force us to grapple with the futility of effort. Also they make us barf which isn't fun either... Wash your hands, cover your coughs, and find a way to hold in balance the futility of effort with the necessity to struggle.
Vanity is a static thing. It puts it faith in what it has, and is easily wounded. Pride is active, and satisfied only with what it can do, hence accustomed not to feel small stings.
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