If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
Neil PeartRead
Pure libertarianism believes that people will be generous and help each other. Well, they won't. I wish it were so, and I live that way. I help panhandlers, but other people are, 'Oh look at that - why doesn't he get a job?' While I believe in all that freedom, I also believe that no one should suffer needlessly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a belief in the need for societal support despite a belief in individual freedom.
Neil Peart expresses a critical view of pure libertarianism, suggesting that while freedom is important, it does not guarantee compassion or generosity among individuals. He acknowledges his own efforts to help those in need but recognizes a common societal attitude that neglects the importance of supporting others, advocating for a balance between personal freedom and social responsibility.
Themes
LibertarianismFreedomGenerositySocietyCompassion
In practice
Example use cases
During a community discussion on social responsibility.
More from Neil Peart
All quotes →The real test of a musician is live performance. It's one thing to spend a long time learning how to play well in the studio, but to do it in front of people is what keeps me coming back to touring.
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Performing live in front of an audience is such a matter of will - all of those things you can do just fine in your basement, suddenly you have to do them in front of hundreds or thousands of people, and it becomes a different matter entirely.
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It seems to me that's the only way you can have a truly creative aggregate of people is if they're all contributing in different ways.
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What I've learned over the years is that the craft of songwriting is trying to take the personal and make it universal - or in the case of telling a story, taking the universal and making it personal.
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I've heard the stories. Like, Eric Clapton said he wanted to burn his guitar when he heard Jimi Hendrix play. I never understood that because, when I went and saw a great drummer or heard one, all I wanted to do was practice.
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