No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.
Denis WaitleyRead
The moment a man claims a right to control the will of a fellow being by physical force, he is at heart a slaveholder.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that using physical force to control others reveals a fundamental loss of freedom in the oppressor.
Henry Clarke Wright's quote delves into the moral implications of power dynamics between individuals. It argues that when one person employs physical force to dominate another, they not only undermine the autonomy of that other individual but also reveal their own subjugation to the very nature of oppression and control. Thus, the act of slavery is not confined to those held captive; it also reflects a deeper spiritual and psychological bondage of the oppressor.
Themes
ControlFreedomOppressionPowerSlavery
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about social justice, this quote can emphasize the importance of autonomy.
Similar quotes
We all yearn to fly. We are creatures of longing. We do not need to [physically fly] to be airborne. What I call the aerial instinct-the drive to transcend our present condition- is the defining characteristic of a human being. We are restless animals, eternal travelers who are forever in the process of becoming. Consciousness itself is a flight from the here and now to the beyond. Our reach always exceeds our grasp, which is what Heaven is for.
Sam KeenRead
I've always thought if we don't want to enforce laws on the books, we should remove them from the books. But when you have laws, you breed contempt if you don't enforce them.
Michael BloombergRead
It is the responsibility of every Christ-centred follower to carve out a satisfying life under the loving rule of God or else sin will start to look good.
Dallas WillardRead
Man is diminished if he lives without knowledge of his past; without hope of a future he becomes a beast.
P. D. JamesRead
Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they inhabit it, whereas we want to come here and settle down, and in their view we want to take away from them their country.
David Ben-GurionRead