I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
I believe that every individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself and the fruits of his labor, so far as it in no way interferes with any other men's rights.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Individuals have the right to manage their own lives and possessions as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others.
This quote from Abraham Lincoln expresses a foundational principle of individual liberty and personal freedom. It suggests that each person has the inherent right to make choices about their own life and the results of their work, provided these choices do not harm or encroach upon the rights of others. This perspective underscores the balance between personal freedom and social responsibility.
Themes
Individual RightsFreedomPersonal LibertySelf-OwnershipResponsibility
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal freedom, one might quote Lincoln to emphasize the importance of individual rights.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
Abraham LincolnRead
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham LincolnRead
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
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For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
Abraham LincolnRead
And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
Abraham LincolnRead
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Fear of the future is worse than one's present fortune.
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This is the nature of war, whose stake is at once the game and the authority and the justification. Seen so, war is the truest form of divination. It is the testing of one's will and the will of another within that larger will which because it binds them is therefore forced to select. War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence.War is god.
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