Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
ConfuciusRead
When wealth is centralized, the people are dispersed. When wealth is distributed, the people are brought together.
Interpretation
The distribution of wealth influences social cohesion and unity among people.
This quote by Confucius highlights the impact of wealth distribution on society. When wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, it creates divisions and alienation among the masses, leading to a dispersed, fragmented society. In contrast, equitable distribution fosters a sense of community and togetherness, allowing individuals to connect and collaborate for the common good.
In practice
In a speech about social justice, one might reference this quote to emphasize the importance of equitable wealth distribution.
Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.
When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.
Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.
Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
As for charity, it is a matter in which the immediate effect on the persons directly concerned, and the ultimate consequence to the general good, are apt to be at complete war with one another.
It is true that we are called to create a better world. But we are first of all called to a more immediate and exalted task: that of creating our own lives.
The human soul has still greater need of the ideal than of the real. It is by the real that we exist; it is by the ideal that we live.
One of the most unattractive human traits, and so easy to fall into, is resentment at the sudden shared popularity of a previously private pleasure. Which of us hasn't been annoyed when a band, writer, artist or television series that had been a minority interest of ours has suddenly achieved mainstream popularity? When it was at a cult level we moaned at the philistinism of a world that didn't appreciate it, and now that they do appreciate it we're all resentful and dog-in-the-manger about it.
What if the Soviet intervention was a blessing in disguise? It saved the myth that if the Soviets were not to intervene, there would have been some flowering authentic democratic socialism and so on. I'm a little bit more of a pessimist there. I think that the Soviets - it's a very sad lesson - by their intervention, saved the myth.
Let us remember that the automatic machine is the precise economic equivalent of slave labor. Any labor which competes with slave labor must accept the economic consequences of slave labor.
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