“We do not know what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are - that is the fact.”
Jean Paul Sartre (1905–1980) French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and …
"Q&A: Putin's Critical Adviser," 2005
“We do not know what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are - that is the fact.”
Jean Paul Sartre (1905–1980) French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and …
Tawakkol Karman (1979) Yemeni journalist, politician, human rights activist, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient
2010s, The world must not forsake Yemen's struggle for freedom (2011)
U.G. Krishnamurti (1918–2007) Indian philosopher
Source: No Way Out (2002), Ch. 7: What Kind Of Human Being Do You Want?
Context: The fact is that we don't want to be free. What is responsible for our problems is the fear of losing what we have and what we know. All these therapies, all these techniques, religious or otherwise, are only perpetuating the agony of man.
“It is important for us (European Union) not to give a signal that we will be blackmailed by Putin.”
Robert Habeck (1969) German politician
Robert Habeck (2022) cited in: " Russia's Putin tells Europe: Pay in roubles or we'll cut off your gas https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/russias-putin-tells-europe-pay-in-roubles-or-well-cut-off-your-gas" in The Straits Times, 1 April 2022.
Bill Clinton (1946) 42nd President of the United States
First inaugural address (January 20, 1993), Washington, D.C.
1990s
Muammar Gaddafi (1942–2011) Libyan revolutionary, politician and political theorist
Interview with Oriana Fallaci (2 December 1979), Corriere della Sera
Interviews
Hafez al-Assad (1930–2000) former president of Syria
Moscow and the Middle East: Soviet policy since the invasion of Afghanistan, Robert Owen Freedman, 1991, CUP Archive, 0521359767, 40, 426, 2010-6-28 http://books.google.com/books?id=6zk7AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA40&dq=mustafa+talas+red+book&hl=en&ei=SGAaTJn2N5O8M7Sq-K8F&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Why%20should%20we%20not%20boycott%20the%20Soviet%20Union%20and%20its%20supporters%20inside%20the%20country%3F%20If%20we%20do%20so%2C%20we%20can%20force%20them%20to%20review%20their%20stand.%20Either%20they%20give%20us%20what%20we%20want%20and%20what%20is%20necesary%20or%20they%20will%20lose%20our%20friendship&f=false,
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
On his reationship with the press in Washington, D.C. and its role in a democracy
2017, Final News Conference as President (January 2017)
Context: We have traveled the world together. We did a few singles, a few doubles together. I’ve offered advice that I thought was pretty sound, like don’t do stupid stuff.(LAUGHTER) And even when you complained about my long answers, I just want you to know that the only reason they were long was because you asked six-part questions.(LAUGHTER)But I have enjoyed working with all of you. That does not, of course, mean that I’ve enjoyed every story that you have filed, but that’s the point of this relationship. You’re not supposed to be (inaudible) fans, you’re supposed to be skeptics, you’re supposed to ask me tough questions. You’re not supposed to be complimentary, but you’re supposed to cast a critical eye on folks who hold enormous power and make sure that we are accountable to the people who sent us here, and you have done that. And you have done it for the most part in ways that I could appreciate for fairness, even if I didn’t always agree with your conclusions. And having you in this building has made this place work better. It keeps us honest, it makes us work harder. You have made us think about how we are doing what we do and whether or not we’re able to deliver on what’s been requested by our constituents.
Kofi Annan (1938–2018) 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations
Truman Library address (2006)
Context: I believe we have a responsibility not only to our contemporaries but also to future generations — a responsibility to preserve resources that belong to them as well as to us, and without which none of us can survive. That means we must do much more, and urgently, to prevent or slow down climate change. Everyday that we do nothing, or too little, imposes higher costs on our children and our children’s children. Of course, it reminds me of an African proverb — the earth is not ours but something we hold in trust for future generations. I hope my generation will be worthy of that trust.