Judging is a lonely job in which a man is, as near as may be, an island entire.
Interpretation
Judging others can lead to isolation, as the judge often stands alone in their decisions.
In this quote, Abe Fortas reflects on the solitary nature of judgment. He suggests that those who judge others may find themselves distanced from social connections, much like an island that is separate from the mainland. This isolation can stem from the role of a judge or the act of passing judgment on others, causing a rift between the judge and those being judged. The metaphor emphasizes the psychological burden and loneliness that can accompany the responsibility of making judgments about others.
In practice
In a speech about the burdens of leadership, one might say, 'As Abe Fortas said, judging is a lonely job, reminding us of the isolation leaders may feel.'
Presence is far more intricate and rewarding an art than productivity. Ours is a culture that measures our worth as human beings by our efficiency, our earnings, our ability to perform this or that. The cult of productivity has its place, but worshipping at its altar daily robs us of the very capacity for joy and wonder that makes life worth living.
I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true for if so the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my father, brother and almost all of my friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine.
Religious persecution may shield itself under the guise of a mistaken and over-zealous piety.
The mountains have rules. they are harsh rules, but they are there, and if you keep to them you are safe. A mountain is not like men. A mountain is sincere. The weapons to conquer it exist inside you, inside your soul.
To practice Zen or the Martial Arts, you must live intensely, wholeheartedly, without reserve - as if you might die in the next instant
All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.
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