I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
No policy that does not rest upon some philosophical public opinion can be permanently maintained.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Policies require the support of the public's philosophical beliefs to endure.
Abraham Lincoln's quote emphasizes the importance of public opinion grounded in philosophical reasoning as a cornerstone for any enduring policy. Without a strong philosophical foundation that resonates with the populace, policies are likely to fail or be rejected, underscoring the interplay between belief and governance.
Themes
PolicyPublic OpinionPhilosophyGovernanceBelief
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of civic engagement, one might use this quote to highlight the role of public opinion in shaping policies.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes βSir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
Abraham LincolnRead
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham LincolnRead
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham LincolnRead
For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
Abraham LincolnRead
And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
Abraham LincolnRead
Similar quotes
The stream of knowledge is heading towards a non-mechanical reality; the universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter...we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.
James JeansRead
How life is strange and changeful, and the crystal is in the steel at the point of fracture, and the toad bears a jewel in its forehead, and the meaning of moments passes like the breeze that scarcely ruffles the leaf of the willow.
Robert Penn WarrenRead
There are nettles everywhere, but smooth, green grasses are more common still; the blue of heaven is larger than the cloud.
Elizabeth Barrett BrowningRead
The iron bolt...mysteriously fastens the door of hope and holds our spirits in a gloomy prison.
Charles SpurgeonRead
God's Kingdom is a place of abundance where every generous act overflows its original bounds and becomes part of the unbounded grace of God at work in the world.
Henri NouwenRead
A priori Logical propositions are such as can be known a priori without study of the actual world.
Bertrand RussellRead