I began writing when I was still in the British Foreign Service, and it was then understood that even if you wrote about butterfly collecting, you used another name.
John Le CarreRead
A good man knows when to sacrifice himself, a bad man survives but loses his soul.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the moral distinction between self-sacrifice for the greater good and selfishness that leads to spiritual emptiness.
In this quote, John Le Carre contrasts the virtues of a 'good man' who is willing to make personal sacrifices for others, thereby preserving his integrity and moral compass, with the 'bad man' who, in his selfish endeavor to survive at all costs, ultimately compromises his own essence and humanity. This encapsulates a deeper philosophical understanding of the impacts of choices on one's character and soul.
Themes
SacrificeMoralityCharacterSelflessnessSurvival
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a talk about ethical leadership and the importance of integrity.
More from John Le Carre
All quotes →In every war zone that I've been in, there has been a reality and then there has been the public perception of why the war was being fought. In every crisis, the issues have been far more complex than the public has been allowed to know.
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The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat’s mat is a story.
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The monsters of our childhood do not fade away, neither are they ever wholly monstrous.
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Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
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If I had to put a name to it, I would wish that all my books were entertainments. I think the first thing you've got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.
John Le CarreRead
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