No man (sic) has learned to live until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. Length without breadth is like a self-contained tributary having no outward flow to the ocean. Stagnant, still and stale, it lacks both life and freshness. In order to live creatively and meaningfully, our self-concern must be wedded to other concerns.
Interpretation
True living comes from caring about others, not just oneself.
In this quote, Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasizes that a meaningful life transcends individual interests and embraces the broader responsibilities we have towards humanity. He illustrates the importance of connecting our personal lives with the needs of the community, likening a life focused only on self-interest to a stagnant water body that cannot sustain itself or contribute to the larger world.
In practice
In a speech about community service, this quote can inspire attendees to think beyond themselves.
This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love.
Music is the best consolation for a despaired man
We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.
We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
Israel... is one of the great outpost of democracy in the world
One of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society... shot down on the battlefield of Vietnam.
We must quit bending the Word to suit our situation. It is we who must be bent to that Word, our necks that must bow under the yoke.
The greatest barrier to own own healing is not the pain, sorrow or violence inflicted upon us as children. Our greatest hindrance is our ongoing capacity to judge, to criticize, and to bring tremendous harm to ourselves. If we can harden our heart against ourselves and meet our most tender feelings with anger and condemnation, we simultaneously armor our heart against the possibility of gentleness, love and healing.
Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.
It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck even while waiting for it.
The first and the best victory is to conquer self.
Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.