Give me the life of the boy whose mother is nurse, seamstress, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel, and saint, all in one, and whose father is guide, exemplar, and friend. No servants to come between. These are the boys who are born to the best fortune.
To kill a man will be considered as disgusting [in the twentieth century] as we in this day consider it disgusting to eat one.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the moral evolution of society, highlighting how actions once deemed acceptable can become abhorrent over time.
Andrew Carnegie's quote emphasizes the transformative nature of moral standards over time. He draws a parallel between the act of killing and the act of eating a human, suggesting that such reprehensible acts will eventually be viewed with equal disgust as society evolves. This serves as a commentary on changing ethical perceptions and the progress of humanity in recognizing the value of life.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing a human rights issue, one might remark, 'As Andrew Carnegie once said, killing a man should be as disgusting to us as eating one, prompting us to reflect on our moral values.'
More from Andrew Carnegie
All quotes βIt is not the rich man's son that the young struggler for advancement has to fear in the race for life, nor his nephew, nor his cousin. Let him look out for the dark horse in the boy who begins by sweeping out the office.
You are what you think. So just think big, believe big, act big, work big, give big, forgive big, laugh big, love big and live big.
Speculation is a parasite feeding upon values, creating none.
Don't be content with doing only your duty. Do more than your duty. It's the horse that finishes a neck ahead that wins the race.
He that cannot reason is a fool. He that will not is a bigot. He that dare not is a slave.
Similar quotes
People call you this or that. But I can't respond because then it seems like I'm defensive, you know, what does it matter, really?
Look at your life in contrast with the magnitude of creation, space and time. Your life becomes insignificant. Ego disappears.
Every thought is a cause & every condition is an effect. Change your thoughts & you change your destiny.
What he could bear in the waking world he could not by night and he sat awake for fear the dream would return.
Das war ein vorspeil nur; That was only a prelude; dort wo man Buecher verbrennt, Where one burns books, vebrennt man auch am Ende One will also burn people Menchen. Eventually.
Whether on'e special emphasis is global warming or child welfare, the cause is the same cause. And justice comes from the same place being human comes from: compassion.