“History affords us many instances of the ruin of states, by the prosecution of measures ill suited to the temper and genius of their people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. ... These measures never fail to create great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and the people oppressed; whence a total separation of affections, interests, political obligations, and all manner of connections, by which the whole state is weakened.” PeopleStatesWholeLawPoliticalNationsInterestFailingPolicyGeniusConnectionsPrejudiceIllAffectionFavorsSeparationViolentObligationOppressionInstanceRuinsTemperOppressedMistakenAnimosityProsecution Author:Benjamin Franklin
“I see the main problem of my life, and indeed anybody's life, as the balancing of competitive freedoms ... a sense of mutual obligations that have to be honored, and a legal system which can be trusted to step in when that sense fails.” ProblemJusticeStepsFailingObligationMutualTrustedHonoredLegal System Book:Woman as Artist and Thinker Source: Woman as Artist and Thinker
“If a poet has any obligation toward society, it is to write well. Being in the minority, he has no other choice. Failing this duty, he sinks into oblivion. Society, on the other hand, has no obligation toward the poet.” IfsWritingWellsHandsChoicesFailingPoetDutyObligationWell BeingMinoritiesOblivion Author:Joseph Brodsky
“... education fails in so far as it does not stir in students a sharp awareness of their obligations to society and furnish at least a few guideposts pointing toward the implementation of these obligations.” DoeEducationResponsibilityFailingAwarenessStudentsObligationSocial ResponsibilityPointingImplementation Author:Mary Barnett Gilson
“Most ignorances are vincible, and in the greater number of cases stupidity is what the Buddha pronounced it to be, a sin. For, consciously, or subconsciously, it is with deliberation that we do not know or fail to understand-because incomprehension allows us, with a good conscience, to evade unpleasant obligations and responsibilities, because ignorance is the best excuse for going on doing what one likes, but ought not, to do.” KnowsSinNumbersResponsibilityCasesGreaterFailingIgnoranceOughtConscienceExcuseStupidityLikesObligationDeliberationIncomprehension Book:Complete Essays: 1936-1938 Source: Complete Essays: 1936-1938
“We have a stewardship responsibility to keep ourselves healthy physically and emotionally. If we don't, we cannot carry out our obligations to God, to family, to our employer, or to others. With this in mind, we put limits on the extent to which we allow others to abuse us. Doing right will mean abuse part of the time; that goes with the turf. But inviting abuse or failing to deal with it is wrong.” IfsMindMeanDealsResponsibilityFailingHealthyLimitsAbuseObligationBitternessEmployersStewardshipInvitingDoing RightTurf Author:Richard Walters