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
The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of liberty.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Different perspectives can lead to conflicting interpretations of freedom.
Abraham Lincoln's quote illustrates the contrasting views of two parties regarding the concept of liberty. While the sheep sees the shepherd as a protector and liberator from danger, the wolf perceives him as an infringer upon freedom. This highlights how individuals or groups can have fundamentally different understandings of the same action based on their positions and experiences, leading to disagreements on what true liberty means.
Themes
LibertyFreedomPerspectiveConflictPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate about government oversight, one might use this quote to illustrate differing views on authority.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, 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.
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Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
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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.
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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.
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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
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