Let us march immediately, and never lay down our arms until we obtain our independence.
Nathan HaleRead
I wish to be useful, and every kind of service necessary to the public good becomes honorable by being necessary.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of being useful to society and the honor found in serving the public good.
Nathan Hale's quote reflects the profound idea that true honor lies in being of service to others, particularly when that service is essential for the well-being of society. It suggests that every action taken for the public good, no matter how small, is meaningful and contributes to a greater purpose, advocating for a selfless dedication that ultimately elevates an individual's character.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a community service event to inspire volunteers.
Let us march immediately, and never lay down our arms until we obtain our independence.
I greatly fear some of America's greatest and most dangerous enemies are such as think themselves her best friends.
I am not influenced by the expectation of promotion or pecuniary reward. I wish to be useful, and every kind of service necessary for the public good, becomes honorable by being necessary. If the exigencies of my country demand a peculiar service, its claim to perform that service are imperious.
Upon this subject, the habits of our whole species fall into three great classes--useful labour, useless labour and idleness. Of these the first only is meritorious; and to it all the products of labour rightfully belong; but the two latter, while they exist, are heavy pensioners upon the first, robbing it of a large portion of it's just rights. The only remedy for this is to, as far as possible, drive useless labour and idleness out of existence.
...in the decline of life shame and grief are of short duration; whether it be that we bear easily what we have borne long; or that, finding ourselves in age less regarded, we less regard others; or, that we look with slight regard upon afflictions to which we know that the hand of death is about to put an end.
Preach in the name of God. The learned will smile; ask the learned what they have done for their country. The priests will excommunicate you; say to the priests that you know God better than all of them together do, and that between God and His law you have no need of any intermediary. The people will understand you, and repeat with you: We believe in God the Father, who is Intelligence and Love, Creator and Teacher of Humanity. And in this saying you and the People will conquer.
The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its culture, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history. Before long that nation will begin to forget what it is and what it was... The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.
The stone that was rolled before Christ's tomb might appropriately be called the philosopher's stone because its removal gave not only the pharisees but, now for 1800 years, the philosophers so much to think about.
My soul knows my meat is doing bad things, and is embarrassed. But my meat just keeps right on doing bad, dumb things.
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