Stupidity, outrage, vanity, cruelty, iniquity, bad faith, falsehood - we fail to see the whole array when it is facing in the same direction as we.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that our biases can blind us to the full scope of negative qualities that may be present when we align ourselves with harmful ideas.
Jean Rostand's quote highlights the dangers of confirmation bias and the tendency to overlook negative traits in our beliefs or those we agree with. When we are in favor of something, we often fail to see its flaws or the potential for harm it may cause. This quote serves as a reminder to remain critical and aware, even of our own prejudices and the way we align with certain ideas or groups.
In practice
This quote can be shared during discussions about political biases and the importance of critical thinking.
If a given scientist had not made a given discovery, someone else would have done so a little later. Johann Mendel dies unknown after having discovered the laws of heredity: thirty-five years later, three men rediscover them. But the book that is not written will never be written. The premature death of a great scientist delays humanity; that of a great writer deprives it.
Certain brief sentences are peerless in their ability to give one the feeling that nothing remains to be said.
My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of other pessimists.
We spend our time envying people whom we wouldn't wish to be.
When a scientist is ahead of his times, it is often through misunderstanding of current, rather than intuition of future truth. In science there is never any error so gross that it won't one day, from some perspective, appear prophetic.
A few great minds are enough to endow humanity with monstrous power, but a few great hearts are not enough to make us worthy of using it.
Capitalistic society teaches kids to be No. 1, but true self-esteem doesn't come from money. It doesn't come from winning the Super Bowl.
My dad was a very quiet person, and unbelievably tough. But my grandmother gave me my first look at negative thinking to bring about positive results. When I was just a little guy, anytime I came to my grandmother and said I wish for this or that, Grandma would say, 'If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.'
I think that one can have luck if one tries to create an atmosphere of spontaneity.
The sight of a drunkard is a better sermon against that vice than the best that was ever preached on that subject.
People have writer's block not because they can't write, but because they despair of writing eloquently.
It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies.
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