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One must care about a world one will not see.
Bertrand Russell
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of considering the future and the well-being of others, even if we won't personally witness the results of our actions.

Bertrand Russell's quote speaks to the moral responsibility we have towards future generations and the world we leave behind. It suggests that an ethical life involves caring for the greater good beyond our personal experiences, highlighting the interconnectedness of human existence. By urging individuals to think about a world they will not see, it challenges us to act with foresight and compassion for others who will inhabit that world. This perspective encourages a mindset of selflessness and global responsibility.

Themes

CareFutureResponsibilityWorldCompassion

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about climate change, one might use this quote to inspire collective action for the environment.

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St. Paul introduced an entirely novel view of marriage, that it existed primarily to prevent the sin of fornication. It is just as if one were to maintain that the sole reason for baking bread is to prevent people from stealing cake.
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Moreover, the attitude that one ought to believe such and such a proposition, independently of the question whether there is evidence in its favor, is an attitude which produces hostility to evidence and causes us to close our minds to every fact that does not suit our prejudices.
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Extreme hopes are born from extreme misery.
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