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Quote by Olive Schreiner

Work

The letters of Olive Schreiner, 1876-1920

This volume compiles the letters written by Olive Schreiner between 1876 and 1920, offering insight into her personal and intellectual life. The correspondence covers her thoughts on literature, social issues, and her experiences in South Africa and Europe. The letters reflect her engagement with contemporary debates on feminism, race, and politics, and provide a window into her relationships with family, friends, and fellow writers. more

Author

Olive Schreiner
Olive Schreiner

Olive Schreiner was a prominent South African author and feminist, born on March 24, 1855, and passing away on December 11, 1920. She is best known for her novel 'The Story of an African Farm', which is considered a classic of South African literature. Schreiner's work often focused on the social and political issues of her time, particularly the struggles of women and the plight of the indigenous people in South Africa. more

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“It takes courage to have a conscience when you seem to see others getting something tangible out of not bothering to struggle with the morality of a situation. It gets frustrating and demoralizing. This is precisely where character comes in. All throughout history special people have felt compelled to do what they objectively saw as right and good - even in the face of humiliation or rejection or expulsion or torture or death. That is because they believed that certain ideas were more important than individual well-being.”

“There is seemingly no biological benefit to acting with conscience; if there were, only moral individuals would survive and procreate. Sadly, we know that's not true. The benefit of conscience is that you won't suffer guilt (private) or shame (public), and that by your own self-imposed definition, you are a moral human, a special kind of animal who takes unique pride in elevating him/herself above the termites.”

“Listen, after almost twenty years of call-in radio, I can tell you that the main thrust of too many lives is an overemphasis on feeling good instead of doing good. Being admired and respected by the self and others has taken a back seat to feeling good, or, at least, avoiding feeling bad. And, oh boy, the excuses some of you can come up with for doing so!”