Wednesday, January 7, 2009

quote of the week: think before you speak

When i first came upon this quote i let off a loud laugh, not because it was funny but it brought back memories of people calling the radio talkshows in Dominica saying whatever comes to mind and with no regards to whether it makes sense or whether their comments were even warranted.
The quote also brings back images of suffering, i guess because it speaks of attaining freedom the image of blacks being brutalized for their freedoms. I am not saying that blacks are the only ones who were made to suffer for personal freedoms but as a black man myself, i can more relate to that struggle.

This quote also brings back another one which i heard often as a little boy, that "one must listen twice as much as one speaks and for that reason God gave us two ears but only one mouth." I cant remember where i heard it first nor do i know who wrote it but i know it as a true saying. It is always better to first listen then speak.

The quote for this week comes from Soren Kierkegaard who was a Danish Theologian and Philosopher. And it reads:

"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." --Soren Kierkegaard

Mr. Kierkegaard has many more famous quotes, click here, and he even predicted that he would be famous after his death. In his journal, he wrote:

"What the age needs is not a genius - it has had geniuses enough, but a martyr, who in order to teach men to obey would himself be obedient unto death. What the age needs is awakening. And therefore someday, not only my writings but my whole life, all the intriguing mystery of the machine will be studied and studied. I never forget how God helps me and it is therefore my last wish that everything may be to his honour."

For more information on Soren Kierkegaard

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1 comment:

Tropical Ties said...

Soren sounds interesting Delroy. I love that quote. Will have to look him up.