I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
When Southern people tell us they are no more responsible for the origin of slavery than we are, I acknowledge the fact. When it is said that the institution exists, and that it is very difficult to get rid of it in any satisfactory way, I can understand and appreciate the saying.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Lincoln acknowledges the complexities of slavery and the shared historical context of all Americans.
Abraham Lincoln's quote reflects his understanding of the historical and institutional nature of slavery in America. He recognizes that people from the South do not claim personal responsibility for the institution's origins, highlighting that it is a collective legacy that is difficult to dismantle. This perspective acknowledges the deep-rooted societal issues tied to slavery and the challenges of addressing them thoughtfully and effectively.
Themes
SlaveryResponsibilityHistoryJusticeUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion on the historical context of social justice issues.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
Abraham LincolnRead
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham LincolnRead
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham LincolnRead
For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
Abraham LincolnRead
And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
Abraham LincolnRead
Similar quotes
There is none dwelling in the house but God. When a man is awakened he melts and perishes.
RumiRead
The truth is a young maiden as modest as she is beautiful, and therefore she is always seen cloaked.
Umberto EcoRead
It will be remembered, that a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles is solemnly enjoined by most of the state constitutions, and particularly by our own, as a necessary safeguard against the danger of degeneracy, to which republics are liable, as well as other governments, though in a less degree than others.
James MadisonRead
Things themselves don't hurt or hinder us. Things simply are what they are. How we view these things is another matter.People think what they will think; it is of no concern to us.
EpictetusRead
And to the degree that the individual maintains a show before others that he himself does not believe, he can come to experience a special kind of alienation from self and a special kind of wariness of others.
Erving GoffmanRead
Descriptions of inner, spiritual processes are much more liable to misunderstanding than descriptions of events in the physical world. Such misunderstandings arise easily because the life of the soul is in constant movement and because we fail to bear in mind that the life of the soul is very different from life in the physical world.
Rudolf SteinerRead