Quote by Edmund Burke

The effect of liberty to individuals is that they may do what they please: we ought to see what it will please them to do, before we risk congratulations.

The effect of liberty to individuals is that they may do wha

Summary

This quote emphasizes the need to consider the potential actions individuals may choose when granted liberty and assess those actions before offering praise or celebration. It suggests that simply granting freedom is not enough; one must also evaluate how individuals use that liberty. It urges us to be cautious about prematurely applauding and, instead, encourages a thoughtful examination of the consequences and implications of people exercising their freedom.

Topics

By Edmund Burke

Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

The man who says his wife can't take a joke forgets that she

The man who says his wife can't take a joke forgets that she took him.

Character is the impulse reined down into steady continuance

Character is the impulse reined down into steady continuance.

Charles H. Parkhurst

In this day and age, you need a lot of patience if you are i

In this day and age, you need a lot of patience if you are in the movie business.

In view of all this, I have no doubt that Cambyses was compl

In view of all this, I have no doubt that Cambyses was completely out of his mind; it is the only possible explanation of his assault upon, and mockery of, everything which ancient law and custom have made sacred in Egypt. If anyone, no matter who, were given the opportunity of choosing from amongst all the nations in the world the set of beliefs which he thought best, he would inevitably, after careful consideration of their relative merits, choose that of his own country. Everyone without exception believes his own native customs, and the religion he was brought up in, to be the best; and that being so, it is unlikely that anyone but a madman would mock at such things. There is abundant evidence that this is the universal feeling about the ancient customs of one's country. One might recall, in particular, an anecdote of Darius. When he was king of Persia, he summoned the Greeks who happened to be present in his court, and asked them what they would take to eat the dead bodies of their fathers. They replied that they would not do it for any money in the world. Later, in the presence of the Greeks, and through an interpreter, so that they could understand what was said, he asked some Indians, of the tribe called the Callatiae, who do in fact eat their parents' dead bodies, what they would take to burn them. They uttered a cry of horror and forbade him to mention such a dreadful thing. One can see by this what custom can do, and Pindar, in my opinion, was right when he called it king of all.(Herodotus is expressing his own feelings about the story of the madness of Cambyses)

Herodotus, Custom Rules (from Th

If you were offered the chance to live your own life again,

If you were offered the chance to live your own life again, would you seize the opportunity? The only real philosophical answer is automatically self-contradictory: 'Only if I did not know that I was doing so.' To go through the entire experience once more would be banal and Sisyphean even if it did build muscle whereas to wish to be young again and to have the benefit of one's learned and acquired existence is not at all to wish for a repeat performance, or a Groundhog Day. And the mind ought to, but cannot, set some limits to wish-thinking. All right, same but with more money, an even sturdier penis, slightly different parents, a briefer latency period the thing is absurd. I seriously would like to know what it was to be a woman, but like blind Tiresias would also want the option of re-metamorphosing if I wished. How terrible it is that we have so many more desires than opportunities.

Christopher Hitchens

Life Money Philosophy Desire Opportunity Absurdity Parents Old Age Conundrums Groundhog Day Self Contradiction Tiresias

One's age should be tranquil, as childhood should be playful

One's age should be tranquil, as childhood should be playful. Hard work at either extremity of life seems out of place. At midday the sun may burn, and men labor under it but the morning and evening should be alike calm and cheerful.

If you keep working at it, in the last analysis, you win. Th

If you keep working at it, in the last analysis, you win. They've got to kill us a hundred times. All we have to do is kill them once.

Frederick Smith

Maybe we can show government how to operate better as a resu

Maybe we can show government how to operate better as a result of better architecture. Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world.

Frank Lloyd Wright

The moment of drifting into thought has been so clipped by m

The moment of drifting into thought has been so clipped by modern technology. Our lives are filled with distraction with smartphones and all the rest. People are so locked into not being present.

It's a wonderful time when you sit down around the table for

It's a wonderful time when you sit down around the table for dinner and discuss life. No matter where you are, it gives the semblance of normalcy to my crazy world.

Melina Kanakaredes

I really like listening to music in my car.

I really like listening to music in my car.

The body is an amazing machine... If you eat the right thing

The body is an amazing machine... If you eat the right things your body will perform incredibly well!