Absolute freedom of the press to discuss public questions is a foundation stone of American liberty.
Herbert HooverRead
Our strength lies in spiritual concepts. It lies in public sensitivities to evil. Our greatest danger is not from invading armies. Our dangers are that we may commit suicide from within by complaisance with evil, or by public tolerance of scandalous behavior.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The true threats to a society come from moral complacency rather than external forces.
Herbert Hoover emphasizes that the strength of a society is rooted in its spiritual values and awareness of moral issues. He warns that the real danger lies not in physical threats from outside forces, but in a society's potential to deteriorate from within due to acceptance of wrongdoing and unethical behavior, urging a vigilant stance against such complacency.
Themes
StrengthEvilSocietyComplacencyMoralityPublicBehavior
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of social responsibility.
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