Pride is founded not on the sense of happiness, but on the sense of power.
William HazlittRead
Every one in a crowd has the power to throw dirt; none out of ten have the inclination.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights how many people can criticize or harm others, but only a few are willing to act on such tendencies.
William Hazlitt's quote reflects on the nature of criticism and negativity within society. It suggests that while everyone has the capability to engage in harmful behavior or speak ill of others, only a minority are inclined to do so. This idea prompts us to consider the motivations behind our actions and the relative rarity of those who choose to rise above petty behaviors.
Themes
CriticismBehaviorInclinationCrowdNegativity
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about the importance of positivity in the workplace, this quote can be used to illustrate how negativity can be prevalent but is often not acted upon.
More from William Hazlitt
All quotes βThe world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
William HazlittRead
Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain.
William HazlittRead
We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.
William HazlittRead
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
William HazlittRead
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
William HazlittRead
Similar quotes
A soul, therefore, when deprived of the Word of God, is given up unarmed to the devil for destruction
John CalvinRead
Prayer does change things, all kinds of things. But the most important thing it changes is us. As we engage in this communion with God more deeply and come to know the One with whom we are speaking more intimately, that growing knowledge of God reveals to us all the more brilliantly who we are and our need to change in conformity to Him. Prayer changes us profoundly.
R. C. SproulRead
I believe there is something of the divine mystery in everything that exists. We can see it sparkle in a sunflower or a poppy. We sense more of the unfathomable mystery in a butterfly that flutters from a twig--or in a goldfish swimming in a bowl. But we are closest to God in our own soul. Only there can we become one with the greatest mystery of life. In truth, at very rare moments we can experience that we ourselves are that divine mystery.
Jostein GaarderRead
You can't just say there is a God because well, the world is beautiful. You have to account for bone cancer in children. You have to account for the fact that almost all animals in the wild live under stress with not enough to eat and will die violent and bloody deaths. There is not any way that you can just choose the nice bits and say that means there is a God and ignore the true fact of what nature is.
Stephen FryRead
We only consult the ear because the heart is wanting.
Blaise PascalRead
I think that we are starting to get much more conscious about, you know, the importance of the spiritual path, and we are fulfilling it by paying attention to ourselves.
Paulo CoelhoRead