The bad man desires arbitrary power. What moves the evil man is the love of injustice.
John RawlsRead
The perspective of eternity is not a perspective from a certain place beyond the world, nor the point of view of a transcendent being; rather it is a certain form of thought and feeling that rational persons can adopt within the world ... Purity of heart, if one could attain it, would be to see clearly and to act with grace and self-command from this point of view.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Eternity can be understood as a mindset that allows clear perception and graceful actions within our world.
In this quote, John Rawls suggests that the perspective of eternity is not about reaching a distant, divine viewpoint but rather about cultivating a way of thinking and feeling that enables individuals to navigate life with clarity and grace. Attaining a 'purity of heart' means seeing the world without bias and acting with integrity, reflecting a deep understanding and rationality grounded in our earthly existence.
Themes
EternityPerspectiveClarityGraceSelf-Command
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mindfulness and perspective in challenging times.
More from John Rawls
All quotes →Justice is the first virtue of social institutions.
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The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance.
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The naturally advantaged are not to gain merely because they are more gifted, but only to cover the costs of training and education and for using their endowments in ways that help the less fortunate as well.
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The natural distribution is neither just nor unjust; nor is it unjust that persons are born into society at some particular position. These are simply natural facts. What is just and unjust is the way that institutions deal with these facts.
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Many of our most serious conflicts are conflicts within ourselves. Those who suppose their judgements are always consistent are unreflective or dogmatic.
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