Education must enable young people to effect what they have recognized to be right, despite hardships, despite dangers, despite inner skepticism, despite boredom, and despite mockery from the world. . . .
Kurt HahnRead
The experience of helping a fellow man in danger, or even of training in a realistic manner to be ready to give this help, tends to change the balance of power in a youth's inner life with the result that compassion can become the master motive.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Helping others in need fosters compassion and strengthens one's character.
Kurt Hahn emphasizes that the act of assisting someone in distress, or even preparing oneself to do so, significantly influences a young person's internal dynamics. This transformative experience can cultivate a deep sense of compassion, which then becomes a driving force in their life, reshaping their priorities and moral compass.
Themes
CompassionHelping OthersYouthInner LifeTransformative Experience
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech, a speaker quotes this to inspire young leaders to engage in community service.
More from Kurt Hahn
All quotes βSimilar quotes
No one is more miserable than the person who wills everything and can do nothing.
ClaudiusRead
When workmen strive to do better than well, they do confound their skill in covetousness.
William ShakespeareRead
The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything.
Harry BrowneRead
In magic, today as always, the effect is what counts. The method or methods used are always purely secondary.
Dai VernonRead
Suppose . . . burglars had made entry into this . . . [library]. Picture them seated here on this floor, pouring the light of their dark-lanterns over some books they found, and thus absorbing moral truths and getting moral uplift. The whole course of their lives would have been changed. As it was, they kept straight on in their immoral way and were sent to jail. For all I know, they may next be sent to Congress.
Mark TwainRead