Parents are usually more careful to bestow knowledge on their children rather than virtue, the art of speaking well rather than doing well; but their manners should be of the greatest concern.
Whether humanity is to comprehensively prosper...depends entirely on the integrity of the human individuals and not on the political and economic systems. The cosmic question has been asked: are humans worthwhile to universe invention?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that true progress relies on the moral integrity of individuals rather than external systems.
R. Buckminster Fuller's quote highlights the idea that the prosperity of humanity is rooted in the integrity and ethical behavior of individuals. It suggests that regardless of the political or economic structures in place, it is the moral character of people that ultimately determines the success and advancement of society. By posing a cosmic question about humanity's value to the universe, Fuller challenges us to reflect on our worth and responsibilities as individuals in creating a better world.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In an inspirational speech about personal responsibility and societal change, one might cite this quote.
More from R. Buckminster Fuller
All quotes →There is no such thing as genius, some children are just less damaged than others.
Only the free-wheeling artist-explorer, non-academic, scientist-philosopher, mechanic, economist-poet who has never waited for patron-starting and accrediting of his co-ordinate capabilities holds the prime initiative today.
The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.
I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true
The earth is like a spaceship that didn't come with an operating manual.
Similar quotes
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Londoners say, 'We're so proud of our diversity and tolerance,' but what if that diversity ends up making us intolerant?
But as in landlessness alone resides the highest truth, shoreless, indefinite as God - so better is it to perish in that howling infinite, than be ingloriously dashed upon the lee, even if that were safety! For worm-like, then, oh! who would craven crawl to land!
The great nations have always acted like gangsters, and the small nations like prostitutes.