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About this quote

What does it mean?
Palme suggests that true goodness comes from internal motivation rather than external religious command.
In plain terms
People do good because they want to, not because God says so.
What can you take from it?
Inner morality is more meaningful than external obedience.

Where it applies

  • moral philosophy
  • parenting
  • personal development

Putting it to work

  • teaching values
  • personal growth
  • ethical decision making

Questions to consider

  • Where does morality come from?
  • Is obedience true goodness?

Another view

External rules can help maintain standards for everyone.

More from Olof Palme

  1. The rights of democracy are not reserved for a select group within society, they are the rights of all the people.

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  2. Apartheid cannot be reformed. It has to be eliminated.

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  3. One should refer to things by their accurate designation. What is happening right now in Vietnam is a form of torture. What they do is tormenting people. They …

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