Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds, do not overload them. Put there just a spark.
Anatole FranceRead
Human affairs inspire in noble hearts only two feelings-admiration or pity.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the idea that human actions evoke either admiration or compassion in those with noble intentions.
Anatole France's quote suggests that when observing the actions of humanity, those with a noble heart can either be filled with admiration for the greatness they see or with pity for the shortcomings and struggles of others. It highlights the dual nature of human sentiment in response to the complexities of life and character.
In practice
In a speech about compassion, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of understanding human struggles.
Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds, do not overload them. Put there just a spark.
In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.
Justice is the means by which established injustices are sanctioned
There is a certain impertinence in allowing oneself to be burned for an opinion.
Lovers who love truly do not write down their happiness.
A person is never happy except at the price of some ignorance.
Idiots are always in favour of inequality of income (their only chance of eminence), and the really great in favour of equality.
Be silent. That heart speaks without tongue or lips.
I think seriousness is a mask of self-importance and self-importance in turn is a mask for self-pity. So if you're really going to pursue a spiritual way of living in the world, you must be lighthearted and carefree, have humor, be able to tolerate ambiguity and embrace uncertainty, and be forgiving of yourself and everybody else.
Sometimes we exclude things in ourselves in order to be like everybody else around us-our ethnicity, our social backgrounds, our ideas. What kind of world is it that will not allow me to be myself, and is it really good for me to be there? What part of me will die a slow death if I stay?
Written language must be considered as a particular psychic reality. The book is permanent; it is an object in your field of vision. It speaks to you with a monotonous authority which even its author would not have. You are fairly obliged to read what is written.
The three classic ways in which the Devil tempts us are with a threat, a promise or a seduction.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.