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No great improvements in the lot of mankind are possible until a great change takes place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought.

John Stuart Mill

When one’s ideas are not challenged, one’s ability to defend them weakens.
JOHN STUART MILL

Ability Challenge Defend Ideas Weakness
In all the more advanced communities the great majority of things are worse done by the intervention of government than the individuals most interested in the matter would do them, or cause them to be done, if left to themselves.
JOHN STUART MILL

Community Government Interesting Reason Worst
I did not mean that Conservatives are generally stupid; I meant, that stupid persons are generally Conservative. I believe that to be so obvious and undeniable a fact that I hardly think any hon. Gentleman will question it.
JOHN STUART MILL

Conservatism Fact Myself Question Stupidity Thinking
The moral influence of woman over man is almost always salutary.
JOHN STUART MILL

Influence Moral Salutation Woman
However unwillingly a person who has a strong opinion may admit the possibility that his opinion may be false, he ought to be moved by the consideration that, however true it may be, if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead dogma, not a living truth.
JOHN STUART MILL

Discussion Himself Live Opinion Person Possible Strong Truth
The perpetual obstacle to human advancement is custom.
JOHN STUART MILL

Advancement Custom Human Obstacle
It is not because men’s desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak.
JOHN STUART MILL

Act Conscience Desire Man Sick Strong Weakness
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
Originality is the one thing which unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of.
JOHN STUART MILL

Feeling Mindset Oneself Original
All attempts by the State to bias the conclusions of its citizens on disputed subjects, are evil.
JOHN STUART MILL

Conclusion Evil State Subject
Those only are happy (I thought) who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness.
JOHN STUART MILL

Happiness Myself Object Thinking
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
Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.
JOHN STUART MILL

Conservative People Stupidity True
A person should be free to do as he likes in his own concerns; but he ought not to be free to do as he likes in acting for another, under the pretext that the affairs of the other are his own affairs.
JOHN STUART MILL

Affair Concern Freedom Himself Person
The general tendency of things throughout the world is to render mediocrity the ascendant power among mankind.
JOHN STUART MILL

Average General Kind Man World
In this age, the man who dares to think for himself and to act independently does a service to his race.
JOHN STUART MILL

Age Dare Independent Man Race Service

No great improvements in the lot of mankind are possible until a great change takes place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought.

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No great improvements in the lot of mankind are possible until a great change takes place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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