Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable throughout the rest of their lives of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished
Johann Gottlieb FichteRead
A man can do what he ought to do; and when he says he cannot, it is because he will not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of willpower and personal responsibility in achieving one's duties.
Johann Gottlieb Fichte's quote highlights the idea that individuals often have the ability to accomplish what they need to do, but may excuse their failures by claiming inability. The underlying message is that many times, what holds us back is not a lack of capability, but rather a lack of motivation or willingness to take action.
Themes
WillpowerResponsibilityMotivationAbilityAction
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech in a corporate environment to inspire employees.
More from Johann Gottlieb Fichte
All quotes βBy mere burial man arrives not at bliss; and in the future life, throughout its whole infinite range, they will seek for happiness as vainly as they sought it here, who seek it in aught else than that which so closely surrounds them here - the Infinite
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Upon the progress of knowledge the whole progress of the human race is immediately dependent: he who retards that, hinders this also.
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By philosophy the mind of man comes to itself, and from henceforth rests on itself without foreign aid, and is completely master of itself, as the dancer of his feet, or the boxer of his hands.
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What sort of philosophy one chooses depends on what sort of person one is.
Johann Gottlieb FichteRead
The schools must fashion the person, and fashion him in such a way that he simply cannot will otherwise than what you wish him to will.
Johann Gottlieb FichteRead
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