Without a global revolution in the sphere of human consciousness a more humane society will not emerge.
Vaclav HavelRead
Ownership is not a vice, not something to be ashamed of, but rather a commitment, and an instrument by which the general good can be served.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ownership is a responsible commitment that can benefit society.
In this quote, Vaclav Havel emphasizes that ownership should not be viewed negatively; instead, it represents a responsibility and a means through which individuals can contribute to the common good. He encourages a perspective that sees ownership as a positive force for societal well-being rather than a source of shame or guilt.
Themes
OwnershipCommitmentResponsibilitySocietyGeneral Good
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about corporate responsibility, this quote can highlight the role of businesses in serving the community.
More from Vaclav Havel
All quotes βIn my opinion, theater shouldn't give advice to citizens.
Vaclav HavelRead
Sometimes I wonder if suicides aren't in fact sad guardians of the meaning of life.
Vaclav HavelRead
The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more so because these worlds are never divided by a sharp line: everyone has a small part of himself in both.
Vaclav HavelRead
Human rights, human freedoms... and human dignity have their deepest roots somewhere outside the perceptible world... while the state is a human creation, human beings are the creation of God.
Vaclav HavelRead
Man is not an omipotent master of the universe, allowed to do with impunity whatever he thinks, or whatever suits him at the moment. The world we live in is made of an immensely complex and mysterious tissue about which we know very little and which we must treat with utmost humility.
Vaclav HavelRead
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What peace can they have who are not at peace with God?
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What passes for political realism may make for lively academic debates. But it often functions, ironically, as a tool of social control, rendering us passive with an analysis that overwhelms and paralyzes us.
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Good books tell the truth, even when they're about things that never have been and never will be. They're truthful in a different way
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It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.
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