None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
It is not a man's duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the most enormous wrong; he may still properly have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support. If I devote myself to other pursuits and contemplations, I must first see, at least, that I do not pursue them sitting upon another man's shoulders.
Interpretation
One should not support injustices passively, even if choosing to focus on other aspects of life.
In this quote, Thoreau emphasizes the moral responsibility of individuals to be aware of and refuse complicity in injustices, even if they choose not to actively fight against them. He argues that while it is understandable to have other interests, one must at least ensure that their pursuits do not inadvertently contribute to the suffering of others, thus provoking an ethical reflection on personal choices and societal engagement.
In practice
Discussing social responsibility in a community meeting.
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
That grand old poem called Winter
I took the other road, all right, but only because it was the easy road for me, the way I wanted to go. If I've encountered some unnecessary resistance that's because most of the traffic is going the other way.
Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.
Where annual elections end where slavery begins.
Pleasure without God, without the sacred boundaries, will actually leave you emptier than before. And this is biblical truth, this is experiential truth. The loneliest people in the world are amongst the wealthiest and most famous who found no boundaries within which to live. That is a fact I've seen again and again.
The longest journey is the journey inward.
When you stand up in the morning, you look in the mirror and say, 'I'm black.' No. You wake up and you see yourself as a human being in the world, but you raise discussion and raise aggression, the anger that you confront every day of your life, whether you want to or not.
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