And enough for me that when my hand touched your shoulder, you leaned on me; and when you felt me slip away, you called my name.
Orson Scott CardRead
His vices were the vices of his time and culture, but his virtues transcended the milieu of his life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on how an individual's flaws are often shaped by their environment, while their positive qualities can rise above those limitations.
Orson Scott Card's quote suggests that the faults or weaknesses a person exhibits are largely influenced by the societal norms and values of their time and culture. However, it also emphasizes that one's virtues—such as kindness, integrity, and compassion—can transcend these external factors, possibly indicating that true character is defined by those innate qualities rather than by the imperfections that one may inherit from their surroundings.
Themes
VirtueViceCultureCharacterTranscend
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion on moral philosophy to illustrate the interplay between individual values and societal influences.
More from Orson Scott Card
All quotes →The world is always a democracy in times of flux, and the man with the best voice will win.
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Never mind that the story had turned out to be lies and foolishness—there was always folks stupid enough to say, Where there's smoke there's fire, when the saying should have been, Where there's scandalous lies there's always malicious believers and spreaders-around, regardless of evidence.
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The lives of all people flow through time, and, regardless of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief or pain or fear, time flows through all lives equally.
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You take a step, then another. That's the journey. But to take a step with your eyes open is not a journey at all, it's a remaking of your own mind.
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I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
Orson Scott CardRead
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Of what significance is one's existence, one is basically unaware. What does a fish know about the water in which he swims all his life? The bitter and the sweet come from outside. The hard from within, from one's own efforts. For the most part I do what my own nature drives me to do. It is embarrassing to earn such respect and love for it.
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