To feed men and not to love them is to treat them as if they were barnyard cattle. To love them and not respect them is to treat them as if they were household pets.
MenciusRead
Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Friends can be as close as family, filling the emotional bonds we sometimes miss.
Mencius suggests that friendships are vital and can resemble sibling relationships, providing love, support, and camaraderie that one might not experience with biological relatives. The quote emphasizes the importance of chosen connections in our lives, highlighting how friends can fulfill fundamental emotional needs and serve as a surrogate family.
Themes
FriendsFamilyRelationshipsSupportLove
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of community, one might say, 'Friends are the siblings God never gave us.'
More from Mencius
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Let not a man do what his sense of right bids him not to do, nor desire what it forbids him to desire. This is sufficient. The skillful artist will not alter his measures for the sake of a stupid workman.
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I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger.
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Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
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Truth uttered before its time is dangerous.
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It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam," said Frodo, "and I could not have borne that." "Not as certain as being left behind," said Sam. "But I am going to Mordor." "I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I'm coming with you.
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I do not want a friend who smiles when I smile, who weeps when I weep; for my shadow in the pool can do better than that.
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I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends.
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