If two lives join, there is oft a scar. They are one and one, with a shadowy third; One near one is too far.
Robert BrowningRead
White shall not neutralize the black, nor good compensate bad in man, absolve him so; life's business being just the terrible choice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the complexity of human nature, suggesting that good and evil cannot simply balance each other out.
Robert Browning's quote reflects on the inherent duality of human nature, indicating that one cannot negate or compensate for the other, whether it be good versus evil or black versus white. It emphasizes that life is fundamentally about making difficult choices, and that these choices are not about finding balance but rather confronting the harsh realities of existence.
Themes
Human NatureChoicesGood And EvilPhilosophyLife'S Complexities
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the moral dilemmas faced in leadership, one might quote this to illustrate the difficulty of making ethical decisions.
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All quotes βTis Man's to explore up and down, inch by inch, with the taper his reason.
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I dare not so honor my mere wishes and prayers as to put them for a moment beside your noble acts; but this know, I would rather submit to the worst of deaths, so far as pain goes, than have a single dog or cat tortured on the pretence of sparing me a twinge or two.
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How well I know what I mean to do When the long dark Autumn evenings come, And where, my soul, is thy pleasant hue? With the music of all thy voices, dumb In lifeβs November too! I shall be found by the fire, suppose, Oβer a great wise book as beseemeth age, While the shutters flap as the cross-wind blows, And I turn the page, and I turn the page, Not verse now, only prose!
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How good is life, the mere living!
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