My father once told me that respect for truth comes close to being the basis for all morality. 'Something cannot emerge from nothing,' he said. This is profound thinking if you understand how unstable 'the truth' can be.
Frank HerbertRead
When law and duty are one, united by religion, you never become fully conscious, fully aware of yourself. You are always a little less than an individual.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that strict adherence to law and duty can hinder individual self-awareness and personal identity.
Frank Herbert's quote reflects on the tension between societal obligations and personal consciousness. It implies that when individuals prioritize law and duty, often reinforced by religious beliefs, they may compromise their individuality and authentic self-awareness. This state of being 'a little less than an individual' points to the struggle between conforming to external expectations and realizing one's unique identity, highlighting the importance of self-awareness in achieving true individuality.
Themes
IndividualityLawDutySelf-AwarenessReligion
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal freedom vs. societal expectations, one might quote Herbert to illustrate the potential loss of self.
More from Frank Herbert
All quotes βIf you need something to worship, then worship life - all life, every last crawling bit of it! We're all in this beauty together!
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Religion must remain an outlet for people who say to themselves, "I am not the kind of person I want to be." It must never sink into an assemblage of the self-satisfied.
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To know a thing well, know it's limits; Only when pushed beyond it's tolerance will it's true nature be seen. -The Amtal Rule
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Technology tends toward avoidance of risks by investors. Uncertainty is ruled out if possible. People generally prefer the predictable. Few recognize how destructive this can be, how it imposes severe limits on variability and thus makes whole populations fatally vulnerable to the shocking ways our universe can throw the dice.
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It is impossible to live in the past, difficult to live in the present and a waste to live in the future.
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