Most minds are the slaves of external circumstances, and conform to any hand that undertakes to mould them.
Interpretation
People often allow external factors to shape their thoughts and beliefs.
Samuel Johnson's quote reflects the idea that many individuals do not think independently and are heavily influenced by their surroundings and the opinions of others. This suggests a lack of personal agency and a tendency to conform to societal norms or pressures rather than forming one’s own opinions and ideas.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about the effects of social media on individual thought.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
All stories are true,” Skarpi said. “But this one really happened, if that’s what you mean.” He took another slow drink, then smiled again, his bright eyes dancing. “More or less. You have to be a bit of a liar to tell a story the right way. Too much truth confuses the facts. Too much honesty makes you sound insincere.
Personal purity isn’t really the issue. Not supporting animal abuse – and persuading others not to support it – is.
[W]e must never allow the future to collapse under the burden of memory.
Death will be too late to bring us aid.
Aiki is not a technique to fight with or defeat an enemy. It is the way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family.
A commodity appears at first sight an extremely obvious, trivial thing. But its analysis brings out that it is a very strange thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.