I will follow my logic, no matter where it goes, after it has consulted with my heart. If you ever come to a conclusion without calling the heart in, you will come to a bad conclusion.
Robert Green IngersollRead
In the republic of mediocrity, genius is dangerous.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that extraordinary talent or brilliance can be threatening in a society that values average or mediocre achievements.
Robert Green Ingersoll's quote reflects the idea that societies which prioritize mediocrity may view exceptional individuals as a threat to the status quo. Genius and innovation often challenge traditional norms and provoke fear among those who prefer comfort in conformity, highlighting the tension between extraordinary capabilities and societal acceptance.
In practice
During a lecture on creativity, the speaker quoted Ingersoll to illustrate the dangers of conformity in creative industries.
I will follow my logic, no matter where it goes, after it has consulted with my heart. If you ever come to a conclusion without calling the heart in, you will come to a bad conclusion.
If the guardians of society, the protectors of 'young persons,' could have had their way, we should have known nothing of Byron or Shelley. The voices that thrill the world would now be silent.
The religion that has to be supported by law is without value, not only, but a fraud and a curse. The religious argument that has to be supported by a musket is hardly worth making.
There is no slavery but ignorance.
In all ages the people have honored those who dishonored them. They have worshiped their destroyers; they have canonized the most gigantic liars, and buried the great thieves in marble and gold. Under the loftiest monuments sleeps the dust of murder.
I believe that there is something far nobler than loyalty to any particular man. Loyalty to the truth as we perceive it - loyalty to our duty as we know it - loyalty to the ideals of our brain and heart - is, to my mind, far greater and far nobler than loyalty to the life of any particular man or God. . . .
Meditation is the way in which we come to feel our basic inseparability from the whole universe, and what that requires is that we shut up.
He who replies to words of doubt doth put the light of knowledge out.
I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.
Simplicity and elegance are unpopular because they require hard work and discipline to achieve and education to be appreciated.
The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don't cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don't turn up the TV and pretend they aren't there. Instead, stand still, whisper his name, and listen. He is nearer than you think.
Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.
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