Prejudices are what fools use for reason.
VoltaireRead
Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.
Interpretation
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.
In practice
During a speech about community involvement, you could use this quote to inspire action among attendees.
Prejudices are what fools use for reason.
He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend; provided, of course, he really is dead.
It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong.
It is not sufficient to see and to know the beauty of a work. We must feel and be affected by it.
We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies - it is the first law of nature.
It is better to risk saving a guilty man than to condemn an innocent one.
On the whole, the longing for solitude is a sign that there still is spirit in a person and is a measure of what spirit there is.
The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.
Duty and dereliction guide thee back to solitude.
Religion is like a pair of shoes.....Find one that fits for you, but don't make me wear your shoes.
Today it is becoming increasingly apparent to thoughtful Americans that we cannot fight the forces and ideas of imperialism abroad and maintain any form of imperialism at home. The war has done this to our thinking.
The past is always tense, the future perfect.
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