None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Anyone in a free society where the laws are unjust has an obligation to break the law.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the moral duty to challenge unjust laws in a free society.
Henry David Thoreau highlights the importance of individual conscience and moral responsibility when faced with unjust laws. In a society where laws fail to uphold justice, citizens are not only permitted but obliged to resist such laws in pursuit of true justice and morality. This reflects a deep commitment to personal integrity and social justice, encouraging individuals to prioritize ethical considerations over blind obedience to legal standards.
Themes
JusticeLawResponsibilitySocietyMorality
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech advocating for civil disobedience in the face of oppressive laws.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes βThrough want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
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That grand old poem called Winter
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