If the Philippines must remain under the control of Spain, they will necessarily have to be transformed in a political sense, for the course of their history and the needs of their inhabitants so require.
Jose RizalRead
The tyranny of some is possible only through the cowardice of others.
Interpretation
The oppression by some individuals can only occur because others fail to stand up against it.
This quote by Jose Rizal highlights the idea that societal injustices and tyranny arise from the inaction or complacency of those who are aware of such wrongdoings. It serves as a reminder that courage and moral integrity are crucial in opposing oppression, and that the responsibility to confront tyranny lies not only with the oppressors but also with those who choose to remain silent.
In practice
This quote can be used during a speech about the importance of standing up against social injustices.
If the Philippines must remain under the control of Spain, they will necessarily have to be transformed in a political sense, for the course of their history and the needs of their inhabitants so require.
I do not write for this generation. I am writing for other ages. If this could read me, they would burn my books, the work of my whole life. On the other hand, the generation which interprets these writings will be an educated generation; they will understand me and say: 'Not all were asleep in the nighttime of our grandparents.'
It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any edifice.
Necessity is the most powerful divinity the world knows β it is the result of physical forces set in operation by ethical forces.
I may be what my enemies desire me to be, yet never an accusation are they able to hurl against me which makes me blush or lower my forehead; and I hope that God will be merciful enough with me, to prevent me from committing one of those faults which would involve my family.
To the questioning glance of love, as it flashes out and then conceals itself, speech has no reply; the smile, the kiss, the sigh answer.
I am not a courageous person by nature. I have simply discovered that, at certain key moments in this life, you must find courage in yourself, in order to move forward and live. It is like a muscle and it must be exercised, first a little, and then more and more. All the really exciting things possible during the course of a lifetime require a little more courage than we currently have. A deep breath and a leap.
Parliaments have stopped laughing at woman suffrage, and politicians have begun to dodge! It is the inevitable premonition of coming victory.
I can't run away when I'm scared. I always have to attack. That's how I deal with seemingly difficult things.
If you're already in a fight, you want the first blow to be the last and you had better be the one to throw it.
The fears that assault us are mostly simple anxieties about social skills, about intimacy, about likeableness, or about performance. We need not give emotional food or charge to these fears or become attached to them. We donβt even have to shame ourselves for having these fears. Simply ask your fears, βWhat are you trying to teach me?β Some say that FEAR is merely an acronym for βFalse Evidence Appearing Real.β From Everything Belongs, p. 143
Without courage, all other virtues are useless.
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