Source: Alone (1938), Ch. 6
Context: The things that mankind has tested and found right make for harmony and progress — or peace; and the things it has found wrong hinder progress and make for discord. The right things lead to rational behavior — such as the substitution of reason for force — and so to freedom. The wrong things lead to brute force and slavery.
But the peace I describe is not passive. It must be won. Real peace comes from struggle that involves such things as effort, discipline, enthusiasm. This is also the way to strength. An inactive peace may lead to sensuality and flabbiness, which are discordant. It is often necessary to fight to lessen discord. This is the paradox.
“There are certain things in a man that have to be won, not forced; inspired, not compelled.”
"We Cannot Legislate Intelligence, Morality, or Loyalty: These Must be Inspired, Not Compelled," Vital Speeches 19 (15 July 1953), p. 588; also in Liberal Education and the Democratic Ideal and Other Essays (1959) by Alfred Whitney Griswold, p. 106.
Paraphrased variant: There will be certain things in a man that have to be won, not forced; inspired, not compelled.
Context: There are certain things in a man that have to be won, not forced; inspired, not compelled. Among these are many, I should say most, of the things that constitute the good life. All are essential to democracy. All are proof against its enemies.
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Alfred Whitney Griswold 8
American historian 1906–1963Related quotes
“There can be no forced inspiration.”
Bright Moments http://www.poetrysoup.com/famous/poem/21377/Bright_Moments
From the poems written in English
[2006-06-08, Ryan Statement on Death of Terrorist al-Zarqawi, paulryan.house.gov, http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=246756, 2012-09-30]
in reaction to the killing of militant Islamist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
"Ngô Thanh Vân: 'Tôi không còn nghĩ đến chuyện chồng con'" in Thanh Niên (10 March 2019) https://thanhnien.vn/van-hoa/ngo-thanh-van-toi-khong-con-nghi-den-chuyen-chong-con-1058998.html
“Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.”
Misattributed
Source: Quote allegedly from The Prince, but not found there textually.
a poetry line on his painting, in: 'Tiger's Eye', Baziotes, Vol. I, no. 5, Westport, Connecticut, October 1948, p. 35
1940s