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Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.
Voltaire
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes personal responsibility for inaction and the moral weight of missed opportunities to do good.

Voltaire's quote suggests that individuals bear a moral obligation for not only the actions they take but also for the good deeds they fail to perform. It highlights a philosophical viewpoint on accountability, conveying that inaction in the face of opportunity is itself a form of guilt, underscoring the importance of actively participating in the betterment of society and oneself.

Themes

ResponsibilityInactionMoralGoodnessOpportunity

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech about community involvement, you could use this quote to inspire action among attendees.

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