Gnostic politics is self-defeating in so far as its disregard for the structure of reality leads to continuous warfare.
Eric VoegelinRead
The death of the spirit is the price of progress.
Interpretation
Progress often comes at the cost of spiritual or ethical values.
This quote suggests that as societies advance and evolve, they may lose sight of important spiritual or moral principles. The pursuit of progress can lead to a disconnection from deeper values, indicating that one must balance the material advancements with the well-being of the spirit and community essence.
In practice
During a lecture about the ethical implications of technology, one might use this quote to discuss the societal impacts of neglecting spiritual values.
Gnostic politics is self-defeating in so far as its disregard for the structure of reality leads to continuous warfare.
Nobody knows what you want except you. And nobody will be as sorry as you if you don't get it. Wanting some other way to live is proof enough of deserving it. Having it is hard work, but not having it is sheer hell.
The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.
More and more of us feel like emergency-room physicians, permanently on call, required to heal ourselves but unable to find the prescription for all the clutter on our desk.
Charity keepeth us in Faith and Hope, and Hope leadeth us in Charity. And in the end all shall be Charity.
However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good.
Again, a law may be both constitutional and expedient, and yet may be administered in an unjust and unfair way.
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