None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.
Interpretation
Engage fully in the political process, using all your influence and passion.
Henry David Thoreau emphasizes the importance of active participation in societal matters, urging individuals to not just cast a vote but to invest their entire influence and efforts into driving change. This quote serves as a reminder that true commitment to democracy involves deeper engagement beyond mere voting, advocating for a holistic approach to civic responsibility.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of civic engagement, I quoted Thoreau to inspire the audience to take action in their communities.
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
That grand old poem called Winter
Against the persecution of a tyrant the godly have no remedy but prayer.
The true courage of civilized nations is readiness for sacrifice in the service of the state, so that the individual counts as only one amongst many. The important thing here is not personal mettle but aligning oneself with the universal.
Since the birth of our nation, the steady performance of the Marine Corps in fighting America's battles has made it the very symbol of military excellence. The Corps has come to be recognized worldwide as an elite force of fighting men, renowned for their physical endurance, for their high level of obedience, and for the fierce pride they take, as individuals, in the capacity for self discipline.
We speak here of the challenge of the dichotomies of war and peace, violence and non-violence, racism and human dignity, oppression and repression and liberty and human rights, poverty and freedom from want.
All Marines, sailors and civilian Marines, regardless of sexual orientation, are Marines first. Every Marine is a valued member of our war-fighting team.
Can you imagine a life with no fear? What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.