The happiest excitement in life is to be convinced that one is fighting for all one is worth on behalf of some clearly seen and deeply felt good, and against some greatly scorned evil.
Ruth BenedictRead
I gambled on having the strength to live two lives, one for myself and one for the world.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the struggle of balancing personal identity with societal expectations.
Ruth Benedict reflects on the challenge of maintaining a sense of self while also fulfilling the roles and duties imposed by society. By 'gambling' on her strength, she acknowledges the difficulty and risk involved in living authentically, which often requires sacrificing some aspects of personal desires for the greater good or for the expectations of others.
In practice
During a motivational speech about self-identity, one could use this quote to encourage individuality.
The happiest excitement in life is to be convinced that one is fighting for all one is worth on behalf of some clearly seen and deeply felt good, and against some greatly scorned evil.
If we justify war, it is because all peoples always justify the traits of which they find themselves possessed, not because war will bear an objective examination of its merits
A man's indebtedness is not virtue; his repayment is. Virtue begins when he dedicates himself actively to the job of gratitude.
The adequate study of culture, our own and those on the opposite side of the globe, can press on to fulfillment only as we learn today from the humanities as well as from the scientists.
Since inequalities of privilege are greater than could possibly be defended rationally, the intelligence of privileged groups is usually applied to the task of inventing specious proofs for the theory that universal values spring from, and that general interests are served by, the special privileges which they hold.
No matter how much fame you have, it's not something that belongs to you. If I'm famous, that doesn't belong to me-that belongs to you. If you can't remember who I am, I'm no longer famous.
From Watergate we learned what generations before us have known; our Constitution works. And during Watergate years it was interpreted again so as to reaffirm that no one - absolutely no one - is above the law.
The door could not be heard slamming; they had probably left it open, as is the custom in homes where a great misfortune has occurred.
The doing evil to avoid an evil cannot be good.
To turn water into wine, and what is common into what is holy, is indeed the glory of Christianity.
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