Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears.
Frederick DouglassRead
To make a contented slave it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken the moral and mental vision and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason.
Interpretation
A contented slave is created by limiting their awareness and critical thinking.
Frederick Douglass highlights the importance of reason and moral consciousness in the fight against oppression. He argues that to create a submissive and contented slave, one must actively suppress their ability to think critically and morally, thus emphasizing the power of awareness and reason in the struggle for freedom and dignity.
In practice
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of education and critical thinking.
Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears.
We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!!
I do not think much of the good luck theory of self-made men. It is worth but little attention and has no practical value.
To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.
The Constitution is a GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT. Read its preamble, consider it purposes. Is slavery among them? Is it at the gateway? or is it in the temple? it is neither.
Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.
Llonio said life was a net for luck; to Hevydd the Smith life was a forge; and to Dwyvach the Weaver-Woman a loom. They spoke truly, for it is all of these. But you,' Taran said, his eyes meeting the potter's, 'you have shown me life is one thing more. It is clay to be shaped, as raw clay on a potter's wheel.
The beautiful uncut hair of graves.
He fell in October 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to the single sentence: All quiet on the Western Front. He had fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him over one saw that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end had come.
When you look at food as an ethical issue in the Christian tradition, you don't find very much about it. You don't find, as you do in the Jewish or Islamic or Hindu traditions, a lot of restrictions saying you can eat this but you can't eat that.
Everything matters. The Universe is approximately fifteen billion years old, and I swear that in all that time, nothing has ever happened that has not mattered, has not contributed in some way to the totality.
O, call back yesterday, bid time return
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