Where unity and self-sacrifice are indispensable for the normal functioning of society, everyday life is likely to be either religiofied (common tasks turned into holy causes) or militarized.

The burning conviction that we have a holy duty toward others is often a way of attaching our drowning selves to a passing raft.

It is futile to judge a kind deed by its motives. Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.

Humility is not renunciation of pride but the substitution of one pride for another.

The majority prove their worth by keeping busy. A busy life is the nearest thing to a purposeful life.

The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flow - by the tilt of the social landscape.

...That genius is a rare exception (:) It's not true. Talent and genius have been wasted on enormous scale throughout our history; this is all I know for sure.