Quote by William James

I am done with great things and big things, great institutions and big success, and I am for those tiny invisible molecular moral forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, yet which if you give them time, will rend the hardest monumentos of man's pride.

I am done with great things and big things, great institutio

Summary

This quote reflects a shift in focus from grand achievements and large-scale institutions to the power of small, subtle acts of morality. The speaker expresses their exhaustion with pursuing big things and is now drawn to the invisible forces that connect individuals. They compare these forces to rootlets or capillary water oozing, emphasizing their gradual yet transformative effect. The quote suggests that these unseen moral influences with enough time and persistence, have the power to overcome even the most stubborn manifestations of human pride.

Topics

Morals

By William James

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