Apart from selfish reasons, such as fear of punishments, fear of blame, of dishonour, etc, there remains only two motives that can stop (or prevent, “empâecher”, Fr.) men from acting badly.
AFRIKAN SPIRThey even came to raise the methods of slaughter to the rank of “science”… We would not (On ne saurait”, Fr.) imagine a more extraordinary moral blindness!
More Afrikan Spir Quotes
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The refinement of the consciousness and of the heart, are considered incidental (or subordinate) things.
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Outward, thanks to the knowledge of physical laws, man could subdue (or subjugate…) nature, but inwardly, he remained a slave to it.
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Possessions of this world have not been for the exclusive use by such or such category of individuals.
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Having no consideration (regardless or irrespective of) for others (“autrui”, Fr.), than we physically are by a sickening (or nauseating) smell.
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Experience shows that what great role pratice and experience play in education; pratice, the prolonged exercice lead to habit: exemple suggests imitation.
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Moral was a principle of inner life, whereas in our days, most of the time one is content to adhere to an official moral, that we recognize in theory, but that one does not care to put into practice.
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Short-sighted (à courte vue”, Fr.) interests, which, when all is said and done, are also prejudicial (or detrimental, or harmful) to those very same that pursue them?
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It must be all the same to the citizens (“ressortissants”, Fr.) of a country that their governing (those in power) speak such language or such other (“telle langue ou telle autre”, Fr.).
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The more his character, by rising above material contingencies, widen, become free and independent.
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The more a man is successful in getting out (or coming out) from his own individuality, of his egoist self, and to control (or dominate) the instincts of his physical nature.
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If pity was always equally alive and acting in all individuals and in all circumstances, we could do away with moral. Unfortunately, it is not compassion, but rather it’s contrary, selfishness, that act most strongly in us.
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The more gifted by nature is a man, the more is deplorable the abuse that he does by using them to shameful ends.
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The supreme blossoming of character lies (or reside) in renounciation (or renuncement) and abnegation of self (“abnégation de soi”, Fr.)
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If we do turn (direct, aim, – “dirige”, Fr.) life in time the social life in new directions (or ways, – “dans des voies nouvelles”, Fr.)
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Moral improvement (or perfecting) require an evolution leading to a higher consciousness, which is the true torch of life; it is what we have failed too much to appreciate, and that which would be fatal to fail to appreciate any longer (“pluslongtemps”, Fr.).
AFRIKAN SPIR