Isaiah Berlin Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"Injustice, poverty, slavery, ignorance -- these may be cured by reform or revolution. But men do not live only by fighting evils. They live by positive goals, individual and collective, a vast variety of them, seldom predictable, at times incompatible."

by:	Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997) Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, historian
Source:	1909, Four Essays on Liberty, Political Ideas in the Twentieth Century
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Categories:	Ignorance, Individualism, Justice, Revolution, Slavery
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Reader comments about this quote:

Individuals should live by positive goals. Governments, on the other hand, should only exist to reactively defend each individual's rights of life, liberty and property necessary toward the attainment of those goals. -- Bryan Morton, Stuart, FL 2
I especially love that each sentence of this quote can also stand on its own, but together they make something that is more than the sum of their parts. -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US
I agree with Bryan here while the quote does have a substantial basis. -- Mike, Norwalk 1
A good reminder -- after all, we know what we are fighting against, but what are we fighting for? -- E Archer, NYC 1
-- warren, olathe
I like this quote. My experience is that most on this site only have axes to grind and put forth little of a positive nature. They are anti this and anti that. It has occurred to me that the love of guns for taking on or protection against "corrupt or power grabbing government" as expressed by some is no diiferent than the jihadist phiolosopy of radical Islam. The idea being essentially a moral one of constant vigilance against immorality, corruption etcetera. Many people apparently need to have a vision or hope of ultimate victory or of overcoming something in order to be happy. For Christians it is the blessed hope and fighting the good fight of morality, for the jihadists I guess it is similar, and for the Americans who harbor some conflict in the future against "them" the brief case carrying Potomac crowd etcetera get a form of spiritual directedness also. But I just wondered today what the world would be like if all of these revolutionaries (even if just mental ones) would rid themselves of their hate and replaced it with positive vibes. What kind of world would we have then. -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas 1
-- RobertSRQ
-- jim k, Austin
It is proper to accentuate the positive, however all humans completely agree on the rational compatibilities of required goals. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 2
All humans do not agree on everything, which is precisely why in a republican form of government all are equal before the law and have a right to their own opinions without a right to force them upon others. Utopians often forget this very crucial point. -- E Archer, NYC 1
Mr Archer, In the republican form of government you clearly have an individual holding the presidency that would in any legitimate responsible community arrangement be in an psychiatric ward. In a science based community you have to rightfully and imperatively prove your position. In science you have to express an ordered response or we have to put you under examination and observation. This present arrangement, those with most sensible responses are put under observation due to its incredible rarity. Nothing utopian just reasonable. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 2
Sillik, you are confused again. You say science but you mean / define / use religion. I've defined "republican form of government" to you multiple times and it doesn't harmonize with your religious view so you continue to misuse the term. Your double minded speak is the opposite of reality. Socialists are left alone as they say they are looking for a reasonable utopia while, those that love individual sovereignty, inalienable rights and liberty at nature's law are put under examination, observation and/or locked up. -- Mike, Norwalk 2
For whatever reason, Fred, you seem to be obsessed with psychiatry and mental illness. I am 100% sure from your posts alone that you are not lettered in the field of mental health in any way shape or form. You may however have had direct experience in a psychiatric ward at some point in your life. Your delusions of grandeur and narcissism are fairly obvious to even the casual observer. I engage with you merely to nudge you perhaps a bit towards a saner and more rational view of the world. My guess is that you have alienated yourself and have little to no rational minds to relate to. I do not expect a cure, just maybe a little relief to what must be a troubled mind comforted only by your self-conceit. You have no power to implement any of your fevered dreams (thankfully for the rest of us), and your obsession to post here ad infinitum reeks of insecurity. But I am not without compassion, so whatever I can do to help you back to reality I am only too happy to do. -- E Archer, NYC 2
Mr Archer, I don't understand what lettered stands for in the field of mental health. Mental health involves developing your humanness and connecting to the human reality and its potential. I have no delusions of grandeur or narcissism. I live on a planet of the self proclaimed "we are the world, we are children" and properly assume my adult role. I am not a child and I humbly request you join me in my adult quest. My tune goes more along the lines of we are the universe, and we accept our adult responsibilities. All children are mentally ill, and all adults are mentally healthy, and again, I accept my adult role. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 2
Ok Mr Archer, I am fully prepared to discuss and write forth on any healthy mentality role model you may want to exemplify. Please do, anyone you wish, be my guest. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 1
Mr Archer, "for whatever reason" you underestimate the significance of the healthy mentality. With every step of the healthy mentality its "a giant leap for mankind." One step from the healthy mentality is a million, somewhat sadly, Neal Armstrong moon landing steps. Nevertheless civilization draws nearer. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown
When I think of an example of a healthy mentality and mature role model, you don't even come close to being a contender. In fact, I would use you as an example of a childish, immature, mentally unstable narcissist that thinks more highly of himself than any other person alive — you have even said as much more than a dozen times! -- E Archer, NYC 1
Mr Archer, you are simply projecting. I have said I am a run-of-the-mill adult and that's what am. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 1
🤣 Sillik lolololol / hahaha, You have made it overly clear, that from your position of god, you merely present yourself as "a run-of-the-mill adult"; promoting your humility in hopes of advancing your religious views. -- Mike, Norwalk
Fred, to back up my assertion of your self-delusion and egomaniacal. narcissistic god-complex, here are just a handful of recent excerpts of your copious posts over the last few months (not to mention the hundreds over the last few years): "...interestingly I feel there absolutely nothing more humble than a demonstration of the truth, which I believe I espouse on an excellent consistent frequency. You, the editor, Mike, and everyone else I meet, don't seem to realize that I am the only one on the entire planet they have a disagreement with, don't you feel that a bit strange." "Sadly, I am the only one with empathetic and sympathetic facilities." "I am the practicing Socialist. ... You are not human ... We can change you ... That's Socialism from the authentic Socialist." "No one in Russia, Chinese, Vietnam, Cuba has the slightest idea of [socialism]." "Times a-wasting. I got a planet to save." "I've got a Miriad of folks to deal with and planet that needs saving, I intend to do exactly that." "My statements are quite original." "[Carl Sagan] admitted he didn't know what Socialism was, and until I defined it as the Socialized being, no one did." "...those who are most themselves are certainly most qualified to make the effective life preserving decisions for us all. There are those who are more inclined to nature's clearly defining role for our species and life in general, this individual is in, reluctantly, but fortunately, in command." "Communism creates balanced environments for balanced finances, balanced relationships, balanced minds. Communism creates the only circumstances for the authentic human being to be recognizably observed. Everything else is just imitation. Communism is the human placed in proper order. Communism creates human beings." "I remain the only reasonable offering of anything concrete in the way of solid advice on the entire planet" "I have never suffered from self deception" "I've never lied to myself" "My goal in life is to advance humanity and create civilization." "until I figure how to fix the prevailing socio-economic crises we'll just have to leave the degenerated creature in the White House" "I feel totally responsible for the circumstances because I have the only active competent mind processing on the planet" "I don't have a god syndrome. I am just the only, and run-of-the-mill at that, adult on a planet of "we are the world, we are children"" "I have absolutely no negative psychiatric condition, I'm just very, very, sorry to say I have the only adult attitude on a the planet earth in the year 2025." "There is only one individual on the planet that is qualified to solve the world's problems and that's the individual who takes the blame for those problems, looks like Mr Fredrick William Sillik has a significant problem. I accept the blame and also assure you that the solutions are available and ready to be implemented." Heil, Sillik! -- E Archer, NYC 1
BTW, Fred, you can't be "the only" and also "run-of-the-mill" — pick one. This is just one of many examples of cognitive dissonance and a disordered mind. -- E Archer, NYC 1
Thanks -you Mr.Archer for rehashing my consistency and maturity, kiddo. No disorder at all, Mr Archer, the adult understands that any adult would perform as any other adult in the environment of the "we are the world, we are the children," or any other environment. The adult production facility has been initiated, we're just waiting for another adult. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 2
Mr Archer, the mess-up can only observe mess-ups. The competent will continue to display competence, rest assured. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 1
Mr Archer, you are clearly trying to discredit the most profound and provocative writing of our species and my inspiration was clearly more closer to another German citizen named Albert Einstein. Heil, Einstein. Another thing your cohorts in controlled minds have said I'm actually worse than Mr Hilter. The explanation is, because I've killed no one, you and your cohorts generally utilize the Nazi strategies of violence and destruction to accomplish your wishes and so identify extremely close with Mr Hitler and no where near my nonviolent approach. It is more clearly, clearly, Heil, Archer. Mr Archer you and the rest of middle class America according to authors "Webb and Sherman" (I use the quote marks because my college professor did not approve of calling it the book) are indeed authentic qualified Nazis. You must learn to identify the humanitarian and civilized social scientist and depart Good day, Mr Sillik. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 2
And Mr Archer, with further consideration of my literary efforts that you presented, they are substantive, direct, coherent, qualified, ordered, unimpaired, lucid, original, adult excellence epitomized. A fine example of the healthy mentality. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 2
;-) Let's see: ☑ Narcissistic ☑ Delusions of grandeur ☑ Egomaniacal ☑ Authoritarian (fascistic and communistic) ☑ Cognitive dissonance ☑ Fallacious ☒ Profound ☒ Provocative ☒ Original ☒ Qualified Yep, your argument checks all the boxes! -- E Archer, NYC 1
Mr Archer, Its doesn't pay too many dividends to pay attention to a self serving biased subjective childish brat mentality. A mature adult makes reasonable sense and serves all of humanity. A mature individual is not out to masquerade and present a misrepresentation of the life process as you perform, making problems, not solving them. The gentleman presents an accurate presentation of life to solve problems, and solves them, Good-day, sincerely yours, Mr Fredrick William Sillik. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 1
Sillik, lololol / hahaha Since you, by your presentations, are an immature child, making non-sense - serving nothing more than your religious anti-humanity has, according to this blog, never presented an accurate presentation of life that would solve any problems. -- Mike, Norwalk 1
Mike, Norwalk, pure, pure projection on your part. My solutions of a national housing project, national transportation, and national good and services is the only end result of a responsible human race. Rational and reasonable beings planing and designing an effective life preserve. Its all we got, but fortunately all we need. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 1
Sillik, again, your religious word salad's delusions have been implemented in varying degrees of application. The greater the application, the greater the enslavement, poverty, pain and the greater the loss of individual sovereignty, inalienable rights and liberty at nature's law; AND, the greater the elimination of man's nobility. -- Mike, Norwalk
Mike, Norwalk, you're mistaken because there are no varying degrees of all inclusive national behavior. You're national or your not; all in or not all in the agreement. -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

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