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Altruism Quotes

Browse 595 quotes about Altruism.

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Altruism Quotes

“I know a 'crime against nature' when I see one. It is usually a sign of crimes against nature that we cannot bear to see them at all, that we recoil and hide our eyes, and no one has ever cringed at the sight of a soybean factory. I also know phony arguments when I hear them--unbridled appetite passing itself off as altruism, and human arrogance in the guise of solemn 'duty.' We must, as C.S. Lewis advises, 'reject with detestation that covert propoganda for cruelty which tries to drive mercy out of the world by calling it names such as 'Humanitarianism' and 'Sentimentality.”

KnowsWorldTryingHumansEyeNamesCrimeDutyBearsCallingArgumentMercySightPassingPassingsCrueltyArroganceRejectsAppetiteFactoriesAltruismHumanitarianismAdviseSolemnSentimentalityPhonyGuiseCovertRecoilSoybeans
Author:Matthew Scully
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“Good character consists of recognizing the selfishness that inheres in each of us and trying to balance it against the altruism to which we should all aspire. It is a difficult balance to strike, but no definition of goodness can be complete without it.”

ShouldTryingCharacterDifficultBalanceGoodnessDefinitionsStrikesSelfishnessAspireAltruismRecognizingGood Character
Book:Letters to a Young Lawer (Easyread Large Edition)
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“While it is true that the taking of life not yet born or in it's final stages is sometimes marked by a mistaken sense of altruism and human compassion it cannot be denied that such a culture of death, taken as a whole, betrays a completely individualistic concept of freedom, which ends up by becoming the freedom of "the strong" against the weak who have no choice but to submit.”

HumansEndsSometimesWholeChoicesCultureStrongBornCompassionTakenStageBecomingConceptsWeakCatholicFinalsDeniedBetraySubmitAltruismMistakenIndividualisticHuman Compassion
Author:Pope John Paul II
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“Restoration ecology is experimental science, a science of love and altruism. In its attempts to reverse the processes of ecosystem degradation it runs exactly counter to the market system, to land speculation, to the whole cultural attitude of regarding the Earth as commodity rather than community. It is a soft-souled science.”

WholeRunningEarthProcessCommunityAttitudeTreeLandReverseEcologyCommodityAltruismSpeculationRestorationDegradationEcosystemsExperimental Science
Author:Stephanie Mills
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“We cannot fight against collectivism, unless we fight against its moral base: altruism. We cannot fight against altruism, unless we fight against its epistemological base: irrationalism. We cannot fight against anything, unless we fight for something--and what we must fight for is the supremacy of reason and a view of man as a rational being.”

MenReasonFightingViewsMoralRationalAltruismCollectivismSupremacy
Book:Philosophy: Who Needs It
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“Happiness arises as a result of different causes and conditions. If you harm someone out of anger, you may feel some superficial satisfaction, but deep down you know it was wrong. Your confidence will be undermined. However, if you have an altruistic attitude, you’ll feel comfortable and confident in the presence of others.”

IfsKnowsFeelsMayDifferentHappinessCausesResultsAttitudeConditionsConfidenceComfortableAngerSatisfactionHarmAriseBuddhistWrongAltruismSuperficialDeep Down
Author:Dalai Lama
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“What are you doing for others?”

HelpingSocialKingsCharityHumanitarianHelping OthersCivil RightsActivistPhilanthropyVolunteerAltruismFiniteVengeancePersistentGiving BackUrgentPublic ServiceServing OthersService To OthersPeace And JusticeVolunteerismPhilanthropicGiving InActs Of KindnessInspire OthersPeace JusticeInspirational SuccessService To HumanityKindness To OthersGiving To CharityInspirational CharityInspirational ServiceGiving To OthersMaking A Difference In The WorldBe Kind To OthersSocial EntrepreneurshipPhilanthropy GivingKings And LoveGood KingsGreat SacrificePhilanthropy InspirationSuccess Of OthersActs Of ServiceInspirational VolunteerVolunteerism And ServiceOthers Helping YouShared HumanityAfrican American Civil RightsDoing For OthersCivil Rights LeadersInfinite HopeHelping Humanity
Book:I have a dream: the life and words of Martin Luther King, Jr
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“Some people automatically associate morality and altruism with a religious vision of the world. But I believe it is a mistake to think that morality is an attribute only of religion. We can imagine two types of spirituality: one tied to religion, while the other arises spontaneously in the human heart as an expression of love for our neighbors and a desire to do them good.”

PeopleThinkingWorldBelieveHumansHeartTwoDesireSpiritualityI BelieveReligiousMistakeVisionImagineExpressionTypeMoralityNeighborGoodAriseAttributesTiedAltruismAssociatesHuman HeartNeighbourTibetanExpressions Of LoveLove Your Neighbor As Yourself
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The three values which men had held for centuries and which have now collapsed are: mysticism, collectivism, altruism. Mysticism — as a cultural power — died at the time of the Renaissance. Collectivism — as a political ideal — died in World War II. As to altruism — it has never been alive. It is the poison of death in the blood of Western civilization, and men survived it only to the extent to which they neither believed nor practiced it.”

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Author:Ayn Rand
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“[Altruism] is a moral system which holds that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that service to others is the sole justification of his existence, and that self-sacrifice is his highest moral duty, value and virtue. This is the moral base of collectivism, of all dictatorships.”

MenSelfValuesExistenceMoralVirtueSacrificeDutyHighestSakeIndividualismSoleJustificationDictatorshipAltruismService To OthersSelf SacrificeCollectivismMoral Duty
Author:Ayn Rand
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“True leadership is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you.”

GivingFoundLeadershipMissionaryAltruismService To OthersTrue LeaderGreat LeadershipTrue LeadershipSpiritual LeaderTrue GreatnessGiving YourselfSpiritual Leadership
Book:Spiritual Leadership, Spiritual Discipleship, Spiritual Maturity Set of 3 Sanders books
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“Will we rise to the challenge and prove our capacity for genuine altruism by ending our ruthless exploitation of the species in our power, not because we are forced to do so by rebels or terrorists, but because we recognize that our position is morally indefensible?”

ChallengesPositionProveCapacitySpeciesTerroristGenuineRebelExploitationAltruismRuthless
Book:Animal liberation: a new ethics for our treatment of animals
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“It is important that when pursing our own self-interest we should be 'wise selfish' and not 'foolish selfish'. Being foolish selfish means pursuing our own interests in a narrow, shortsighted way. Being wise selfish means taking a broader view and recognizing that our own long-term individual interest lies in the welfare of everyone. Being wise selfish means being compassionate.”

WayShouldMeanLongImportantSelfLyingIndividualTermInterestViewsWiseSelfishFoolishWelfareLong TermCompassionateAltruismRecognizingSelf InterestBeing WiseSelfish Interest
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The practice of altruism is the authentic way to live as a human being, and it is not just for religious people. As human beings, our purpose is to live meaningful lives, to develop a warm heart. There is meaning in being everyone's friend. The real source of peace amongst our families, friends and neighbours is love and compassion.”

PeopleWayHumansHeartRealPurposeReligiousHuman BeingsCompassionPracticeSourceWarmMeaningfulOur FamilyAltruismFamily And FriendsNeighbourMeaningful LifeWay To LivePeople In Your LifeLove And CompassionFamily FriendsWarm Heart
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The noblest relationship is marriage, that is, love. Its nobility resides in its altruism, the desire to serve another beyond all the pleasures of the relationship; and in its refusal ever to regard the other as a thing, an object, a utilizability. Sex is an exchange of pleasures, of needs; love is a giving without return. It is this giving without return, this helping without reward, this surplus of pure good, that identifies the uniqueness of man as well as the true nature of the true marriage. This is the quintessence the great alchemy of sex is for.”

MenLoveNeedsGivingWellsHelpingAgeDesireSexLove IsPleasureObjectsReturnPureRegardRewardsUniquenessAltruismNobilityRefusalAlchemyTrue NatureSurplusNeed LoveQuintessence
Author:John Fowles
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“A current pejorative adjective is narcissistic. Generally, a narcissist is anyone better looking than you are, but lately the adective is often applied to those "liberals" who prefer to improve the lives of others rather than exploit them. Apparently, a concern for others is self-love at its least attractive, while greed is now a sign of the hightest altruism. But then to reverse, periodically, the meanings of words is a very small price to pay for our vast freedom not only to conform but to consume.”

SelfPaySelf LoveConcernGreedCurrentsAttractiveReverseAltruismConformExploitsNarcissisticLives Of OthersNarcissistAdjectivesConcern For OthersMeanings Of Words
Author:Gore Vidal
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“If you look into their [chimpanzees] eyes, you know you're looking into a thinking mind. They teach us that we are not the only beings with personalities, minds capable of rational thought, altruism and a sense of humor. That leads to new respect for other animals, respect for the environment and respect for all life.”

IfsThinkingKnowsMindLooksEyeScienceAnimalTeachEnvironmentPersonalityCapableRationalSense Of HumorAltruismRespecting OthersChimpanzeesThinking MindRational Thought
Author:Jane Goodall
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