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Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.

John Stuart Mill

The idea that truth always triumphs over persecution is one of those pleasant falsehoods, which most experience refutes. History is teeming with instances of truth put down by persecution. If not put down forever, it may be set back for centuries.
JOHN STUART MILL

Experience Forever History Ideas Persecution Truth
Over one’s mind and over one’s body the individual is sovereign.
JOHN STUART MILL

Body Mindset Oneself Sovereign
The fatal tendency of mankind to leave off thinking about a thing when it is no longer doubtful is the cause of half their errors.
JOHN STUART MILL

Errors Fatal Mistake Reason Tendency Thinking
Language is the light of the mind.
JOHN STUART MILL

Language Light Mindset
Men do not desire to be rich, but to be richer than other men.
JOHN STUART MILL

Desire Man Rich
Since the state must necessarily provide subsistence for the criminal poor while undergoing punishment, not to do the same for the poor who have not offended is to give a premium on crime.
JOHN STUART MILL

Crime Necessary Offend Premium Punishment State
A great statesman is he who knows when to depart from traditions, as well as when to adhere to them.
JOHN STUART MILL

Greatness Known Tradition
The spirit of improvement is not always a spirit of liberty, for it may aim at forcing improvements on an unwilling people.
JOHN STUART MILL

Force Improvement Liberty People Spirit Willing
Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.
JOHN STUART MILL

Conscience Form Goodness Harm Man Oneself
Originality is the one thing which unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of.
JOHN STUART MILL

Feeling Mindset Oneself Original
He who does anything because it is the custom, makes no choice.
JOHN STUART MILL

Choice Custom Himself
A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.
JOHN STUART MILL

Action Evil Injury Oneself Person
All good things which exist are the fruits of originality.
JOHN STUART MILL

Existence Goodness Object Original Result
A democratic constitution, not supported by democratic institutions in detail, but confined to the central government, not only is not political freedom, but often creates a spirit precisely the reverse, carrying down to the lowest grade in society the desire and ambition of political domination.
JOHN STUART MILL

Ambition Creation Democracy Desire Domination Grade Institution Politics Society Spirit
Life has a certain flavor for those who have fought and risked all that the sheltered and protected can never experience.
JOHN STUART MILL

Experience Flavor Life Risk Shelter
Human beings are no longer born to their place in life…but are free to employ their faculties and such favorable chances as offer, to achieve the lot which may appear to them as desirable.
JOHN STUART MILL

Achievement Appearance Born Chance Desire Freedom Human Life Place

Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.

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Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.

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