To the generous mind the heaviest debt is that of gratitude, when it is not in our power to repay it.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Duty is not beneficial because it is commanded,_x000D_ but is commanded because it is beneficial.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Duty is important not because it is enforced, but because it serves a greater good.
This quote by Benjamin Franklin emphasizes the intrinsic value of duty. It suggests that the obligations we undertake are not merely imposed upon us for the sake of authority, but rather are essential for the well-being of society and individuals. Recognizing that duties are beneficial serves to elevate our understanding of responsibility from mere compliance to a conscious choice for the greater good.
Themes
DutyBeneficialResponsibilityWell-BeingSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about civic responsibility, one might say, 'As Benjamin Franklin wisely noted, duty is not beneficial because it is commanded, but is commanded because it is beneficial.'
More from Benjamin Franklin
All quotes →He'll cheat without scruple, who can without fear.
Benjamin FranklinRead
[E]very Man who comes among us, and takes up a piece of Land, becomes a Citizen, and by our Constitution has a Voice in Elections, and a share in the Government of the Country.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Our Constitution is in actual operation; everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.
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Let honesty and industry be thy constant companions, and spend one penny less than thy clear gains; then shall thy pocket begin to thrive; creditors will not insult, nor want oppress, nor hungerness bite, nor nakedness freeze thee
Benjamin FranklinRead
I think that a young state, like a young virgin, should modestly stay at home, and wait the application of suitors for an alliance with her; and not run about offering her amity to all the world; and hazarding their refusal. Our virgin is a jolly one; and tho at present not very rich, will in time be a great fortune, and where she has a favorable predisposition, it seems to me well worth cultivating.
Benjamin FranklinRead
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