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 SPIRWhen under the influence of certain (or some) reasons (or causes) (alcohol, war, etc – added Spir here) the low instincts are unbridled (or unrestrained).
More Afrikan Spir Quotes
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To sacrifice the moral to the physical, as is done in these days, is to sacrifice reality for a shadow.
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The intellectual development of man, far from having get men away from war, has, rather, on the contrary, bring them to a refinment always more perfected in the art of killing.
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The military predominace of Sparte. This example proves that man can everything on themselves when they want it (“peuvent tout sur eux-mêmes quand ils le veulent”, Fr.); therefore it would only be a question of making them will the good.
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The more his character, by rising above material contingencies, widen, become free and independent.
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Men who have sacrifice their well-being, and even their lives, for the cause of truth or the public good, are, from an empirical point of view – which scorn (“fait fi”, Fr.) virtue and altruism – regarded as insane or fools; but, from a moral standpoint, they are heros who do honour (“qui honorent”, Fr.) humanity.
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If man do not find in himself the required (or wished, or wanted, – “voulue”, Fr.) force to accomplish his moral aspirations, he can try to purt himself in the conditions suitable to assist (or promote, or further, -“favoriser”, Fr.) his self-control.
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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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It is not the first time that men sell their birth right for a dish of lentils, and thus disown (or repudiate or deny) the best of thmeselves.
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The undertakings enter unto (“les engagements contractés”, Fr.), nothing assure that we will not break them, possibly (“éventuellement”, Fr.) in another.
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Whoever has recognized the vainglory of individuality will not attach any store (“n’attachera aucun prix à”, Fr.) to fame.
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The moral improvement demands an evolution leading to a higher consciousness.
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It depends on ourselves to be to each others, either a blessing or a torment.
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When under the influence of certain (or some) reasons (or causes) (alcohol, war, etc – added Spir here) the low instincts are unbridled (or unrestrained).
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There are some who esteem that it is a naivety to believe that a moral regeneration may be possible (“soit possible”, Fr.); now, if this was not the case, it would not be worth the trouble that humanity continue to vegetate without aim.
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To reform society, and with it humanity, there is only one mean; to transform the mentality of men, to direct them (“les orienter”, Fr.) in a new spirit.
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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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The fact that men have a same origin and live in the same universe means that they are representatives of a same unity.
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A good man (“un homme de bien”, Fr.) never wholly perishes, the best part of his being outlives (or survives) in eternity.
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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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The first principle from which stems the moral of about all people at all time; it is summarized in this precept: Love thy neighbour as thyself, and: do as you would be done by.
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Men spend their life down here in the worship of petty (or mean) interests and the search of perishable things, and with that (“et avec cela”, Fr.) they pretend to perpetuate for all eternity their self (“moi”, Fr.) so hardly worthy (“digne”, Fr.) of it.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
What we take for vainglory, ambition, love of power and riches (or wealth), is often, indeed, a need to mask this emptiness, a need to let one’s hair down (or to live it up), to put oneself on a false scent or trail. (de se donner le change”, Fr.)
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Deep down, everything boils down (“au fond tout se ramène”, Fr.) to the following simple question; Do we really want justice and the realization in this world of higher principles, or else do we want to serve selfish.
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Likewise that it must be all the same to them that these adhere to such or such religion, so long as a full (or complete) liberty is equally garantee for everyone.
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If the present civilisation does not acquire some stable moral fondations (“bases morales stables”, Fr.), its existence will hardly be more assured than that of the civilisations that have preceeded it, and which have fallen (or collapse, or failed).
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The precept to worship God ‘in spirit and in truth’ recommand to worship him as an inward and moral force, without physical attributes and with no relation to fears and egoist wishes.
AFRIKAN SPIR