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It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question.

John Stuart Mill

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
The object of universities is not to make skillful lawyers, physicians or engineers. It is to make capable and cultivated human beings.
JOHN STUART MILL

Human Lawyer Object University
In the long-run, the best proof of a good character is good actions.
JOHN STUART MILL

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

Ability Challenge Defend Ideas Weakness
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
The human faculties of perception, judgment, discriminative feeling, mental activity, and even moral preference, are exercised only in making a choice. He who does anything because it is the custom, makes no choice.
JOHN STUART MILL

Activity Choice Discrimination Faculty Human Mental
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
Originality is the one thing which unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of.
JOHN STUART MILL

Feeling Mindset Oneself Original
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
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
The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.
JOHN STUART MILL

Deserve Effort Freedom Name Pursue
A state which dwarfs its men, in order that they may be more docile instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes–will find that with small men no great thing can really be accomplished.
JOHN STUART MILL

Accomplishment Finding Hands Instrument Man Order Purpose State
There are many truths of which the full meaning cannot be realized until personal experience has brought it home.
JOHN STUART MILL

Home Meaning Personal Realize Truth
The perpetual obstacle to human advancement is custom.
JOHN STUART MILL

Advancement Custom Human Obstacle
There is an imaginary circle drawn around every human being, over which no government should be able to step.
JOHN STUART MILL

Circle Government Imagination Step
All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.
JOHN STUART MILL

Assumption Discussion Fall Silence

It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question.

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It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question.

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Popular Authors

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