I am convinced that human continuance depends entirely upon: the intuitive wisdom of each and every individual . . . the individual's integrity of speaking and acting only on the individual's own within-self-intuited and reasoned initiative . . . the individual's never joining action with others as motivated only by crowd-engendered-emotionalism, or a sense of the crowd's power to overwhelm, or in fear of holding to the course indicated by one's own intellectual convictions.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Human survival relies on individuals acting from their own reasoned intuition rather than following crowd emotions.
- In plain terms
- People must trust their own thinking, not the crowd, to keep humanity going.
- What can you take from it?
- Act on your own reasoned convictions to ensure progress.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Are you following the crowd or your own mind?
- What convinces you to act?
Another view
Collaboration and shared emotion often drive positive social change.
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