But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Lord ByronRead
For what were all these country patriots born? To hunt, and vote, and raise the price of corn?
Interpretation
This quote questions the purpose of patriotic citizens, suggesting that their roles are limited to mundane tasks rather than noble ideals.
Lord Byron's quote reflects a cynical view of patriotism, implying that the so-called patriots of a country are primarily engaged in trivial pursuits like hunting and voting, rather than contributing to the greater good of society. It critiques the shallow motivations associated with national pride, suggesting that such actions do not fulfill a higher purpose.
In practice
In a speech about modern politics, one might use this quote to highlight the trivial engagement of citizens.
But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
It is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake.
Absence - that common cure of love.
Her great merit is finding out mine; there is nothing so amiable as discernment.
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
For truth is always strange; stranger than fiction.
The object of government in peace and in war is not the glory of rulers or of races, but the happiness of common man.
For the Palestinians' efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure. Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist.
Democracy was regarded as entering into a crisis in the 1960s. The crisis was that large segments of the population were becoming organized and active and trying to participate in the political arena.
The excellence of every government is its adaptation to the state of those to be governed by it.
Whenever anything extraordinary is done in American municipal politics, whether for good or for evil, you can trace it almost invariably to one man. The people do not do it. Neither do the 'gangs,' 'combines,' or political parties.
When government programs fail, it is often because public officials are clueless about how human beings think and act.
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