Animal Rights
“If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals.”

Community
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security

Creativity
Imagination is more important than knowledge.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.

“Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.”

Culture of Peace
“We must inoculate our children against militarism, by educating them in the spirit of pacifism… Our schoolbooks glorify war and conceal its horrors. They indoctrinate children with hatred. I would teach peace rather than war, love rather than hate.”

Economy
“This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future. I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals.”

Globalization
One has to realize that the powerful industrial groups concerned in the manufacture of arms are doing their best in all countries to prevent the peaceful settlement of international disputes, and that rulers can achieve this great end only if they are sure of the vigorous support of the majority of their peoples.

Hope
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.

Kindness
“Only a life lived for others is worth living.”

“The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth…”

Law
“A world government with powers adequate to guarantee security is not a remote ideal for the distant future. It is an urgent necessity if our civilization is to survive.”

“There is no salvation for civilization, or even the human race, other than the creation of a world government.”

“With all my heart I believe that the world’s present system of sovereign nations can only lead to barbarism, war and inhumanity, and that only world law can assure progress towards a civilized peaceful community.”

Living a Life of Compassion
“A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depends on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the measure as I have received and am still receiving.”

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

No More War
To my mind, to kill in war is not a whit better than to commit ordinary murder.

My pacifism is not based on any intellectual theory but on a deep antipathy to every form of cruelty and hatred.

Nothing will end war unless the people refuse to go to war.

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

Nonviolence
“Violence sometimes may have cleared away obstructions quickly, but it never has proved itself creative.”

No Nukes
Since I do not forsee that atomic energy is to be a great boon for a long time, I have to say that for the present it is a menace. Perhaps it is well that it should be. It may intimidate the human race into bringing order into its international affairs, which, without the presence of fear, it would not do.

Through the release of atomic energy, our generation has brought into the world the most revolutionary force since prehistoric man’s discovery of fire. This basic force of the universe cannot be fitted into the outmoded concept of narrow nationalisms. For there is no secret and there is no defense; there is no possibility of control except through the aroused understanding and insistence of the peoples of the world. We scientists recognise our inescapable responsibility to carry to our fellow citizens an understanding of atomic energy and its implication for society. In this lies our only security and our only hope – we believe that an informed citizenry will act for life and not for death.

I do not know with what weapons World War 3 will be fought, but World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones.

Patriotism
Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.

Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism – how passionately I hate them!

Peace
“Nothing that I can do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my voice I can help the greatest of all causes – goodwill among men and peace on earth.”

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved through understanding.

“There’s been a quantum leap technologically in our age, but unless there’s another quantum leap in human relations, unless we learn to live in a new way towards one another, there will be a catastrophe.”

Simplicity
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

Tolerance
Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population.

Vegetarian
Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

A Better World
“Perfection of means and confusion of goals seem to characterize our age. If we desire sincerely and passionately the safety, the welfare and the free development of the talents of all men, we shall not be in want of the means to approach such a state.”

delete reply laura1may wrote on Jan 8, ’08 He was quite a bright gentleman but I am not convinced by what he says about animals and righteousness.

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Jan 8, ’08 I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, and I’m not implying that anyone else should either, but he certainly was an interesting guy, wasn’t he ?