In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on the inherent injustice in the universe, where good people often face suffering while wrongdoers may thrive.
Bertrand Russell's quote delves into the often frustrating nature of moral injustice in the world. It highlights the paradox that, despite our understanding of right and wrong, we frequently observe that virtuous individuals experience hardship while those who engage in wickedness seem to prosper. This observation raises profound questions about the nature of justice and the human condition, leaving us in a state of bewilderment about the workings of fate and morality.
In practice
Quoting this during a discussion on social justice issues to emphasize the persistent inequalities in society.
St. Paul introduced an entirely novel view of marriage, that it existed primarily to prevent the sin of fornication. It is just as if one were to maintain that the sole reason for baking bread is to prevent people from stealing cake.
Freedom comes only to those who no longer ask of life that it shall yield them any of those personal goods that are subject to the mutations of time.
Of these austerer virtues the love of truth is the chief, and in mathematics, more than elsewhere, the love of truth may find encouragement for waning faith. Every great study is not only an end in itself, but also a means of creating and sustaining a lofty habit of mind; and this purpose should be kept always in view throughout the teaching and learning of mathematics.
At all times, except when a monarch could enforce his will, war has been facilitated by the fact that vigorous males, confident of victory, enjoyed it, while their females admired them for their prowess.
Moreover, the attitude that one ought to believe such and such a proposition, independently of the question whether there is evidence in its favor, is an attitude which produces hostility to evidence and causes us to close our minds to every fact that does not suit our prejudices.
Extreme hopes are born from extreme misery.
Sympathy will have been increased through natural selection
The Church is the Church in her worship. Worship is not an optional extra, but is of the very life and essence of the Church. ...Man is never more truly man than when he worships God. He rises to all the heights of human dignity when he worships God, and all God's purpose in Creation and in Redemption are fulfilled in us as together in worship we are renewed in and through Christ, and in the name of Christ we glorify God.
Ones real life is often the life that one does not lead.
Fixity is always momentary. But how can it always be so? If it were, it would not be momentary - or would not be fixity.
I came to terms with not fitting in a long time ago. I never really fitted in. I don't want to fit in. And now people are buying into that.
If we are not represented, we are slaves.
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