When those of Jewish blood exhibit moral or intellectual superiority, genius or special talent, we feel pride in them, even if they have abjured the faith like Spinoza, Marx, Disraeli or Heine. Despite the meditations of pundits or the decrees of council, our own instincts and acts, and those of others, have defined for us the term 'Jew.'
Interpretation
The quote expresses a complex relationship between identity, pride, and achievement within the Jewish community.
Louis D. Brandeis reflects on the duality of pride and identity within the Jewish culture. He suggests that despite differences in faith or belief, individuals of Jewish heritage are celebrated for their achievements and intellect, highlighting a sense of collective pride that transcends religious adherence. This speaks to the broader themes of identity and the recognition of merit beyond strict definitions.
In practice
A speaker at a cultural event discussing Jewish contributions to art and science could use this quote to highlight pride in Jewish heritage.
Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in the insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding.
Those who won our independence believed that the final end of the state was to make men free to develop their faculties... They valued liberty both as an end and as a means. They believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty... that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government.
Experience teaches us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficent.
In business, the earning of profit is something more than an incident of success. It is an essential condition of success. It is an essential condition of success because the continued absence of profit itself spells failure.
America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced human happiness, and it has prospered.
If you will just start with the idea that this is a hard world, it will all be much simpler.
Every successful revolution puts on in time the robes of the tyrant it has deposed.
I believe cats to be spirits come to earth.
Perhaps the only true dignity of man is his capacity to despise himself.
Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you.
A plongeur is a slave, and a wasted slave, doing stupid and largely unnecessary work. He is kept at work, ultimately, because of a vague feeling that he would be dangerous if he had leisure. And educated people, who should be on his side, acquiesce in the process, because they know nothing about him and consequently are afraid of him.
Only man is permitted to live without rhythm in order that he can become free. However, he must of his own accord bring rhythm again into the chaos.
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