Inspiring Quotes of the Week...
Civilization
Commentary by Peter Shepherd
“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” ~ Confucius
Civilization is formed from nations, and each family serves as the basis of the nation. Therefore it's important that the parents of each family set a great example to their children. This will influence neighboring families and the generations to follow.
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ St. Augustine
Hypocrisy gets us nowhere - we have to walk the talk. And George Bernard Shaw: "The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
“Respect for the rights of others means peace.” ~ Benito Juarez
As Pancho Villa said, "There can never be peace in a world where one man has his belly full and another man is starving."
“I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.” ~ Roger Ebert
Preceded by communication and followed by understanding, resulting in compassion. Caring about others is the basis of social behavior. It's of mutual benefit and in my opinion should be the number one quality fostered by education. Reading the best novels offers insight into the minds of others, far more so than films and TV.
“Whoever doesn't know the past must have little understanding of the present and no vision for the future.” ~ Joseph S. Raymond
Hence the value of wide, open-ended education for liberation - and the power of distorting evidence and rewriting history to create suppression.
Here’s some further reading on this theme...
The World Says No to Surveillance ~ Edward Snowden
The balance of power is beginning to shift. We are witnessing the emergence of a post-terror generation, one that rejects a worldview defined by a singular tragedy. For the first time since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we see the outline of a politics that turns away from reaction and fear in favor of resilience and reason. With each court victory, with every change in the law, we demonstrate facts are more convincing than fear. As a society, we rediscover that the value of a right is not in what it hides, but in what it protects. Continues...
PODCAST: Peter Shepherd about Transitions in Life
