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Duty Quotes

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Duty Quotes

“The idea of duty, that recognition of something to be lived for beyond the mere satisfaction of self, is to the moral life what the addition of a great central ganglion is to animal life. No man can begin to mould himself on a faith or an idea without rising to a higher order of experience: a principle of subordination, of self-mastery, has been introduced into his nature; he is no longer a mere bundle of impressions, desires, and impulses.”

Source: Delphi Complete Works of George Eliot (Illustrated)

“The vital energies regulate themselves naturally without compulsive duty or compulsive morality both of which are sure signs of existing antisocial impulses.”

Energy Duty Morality Impulse Antisocial

Book:The Discovery of the Orgone

Source: The Discovery of the Orgone

“The Bhagavad-Gita calls on humanity to dedicate body, mind and soul to pure duty and not to become mental voluptuaries at the mercy of random desires and undisciplined impulses.”

Mind Soul Body Desire Humanity Duty Pure Mercy Impulse Gita Undisciplined Mind Body And Soul

Author:Mahatma Gandhi

“Personal prudence, even when dictated by quite other than selfish considerations, surely is no special virtue in a military man; while an excessive love of glory, impassioning a less burning impulse, the honest sense of duty, is the first.”

Men Firsts Virtue Special Honest Military Duty Glory Selfish Burning Impulse Consideration Prudence Military Man Excessive Love

Book:Billy Budd

Source: Billy Budd

“Since we want not emancipation from impulse but clarification of impulse, the duty of rhetoric is to bring together action and understanding into a whole that is greater than scientific perception.”

Want Whole Action Together Understanding Greater Duty Perception Impulse Rhetoric Emancipation Clarification

Book:The Ethics of Rhetoric

Source: The Ethics of Rhetoric

“An Irish Airman foresees his Death I Know that I shall meet my fate Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate Those that I guard I do not love, My country is Kiltartan Cross, My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor, No likely end could bring them loss Or leave them happier than before. Nor law, nor duty bade me fight, Nor public man, nor cheering crowds, A lonely impulse of delight Drove to this tumult in the clouds; I balanced all, brought all to mind, The years to come seemed waste of breath, A waste of breath the years behind In balance with this life, this death.”