“I enjoy life because I am endlessly interested in people and their growth. My interest leads me to widen my knowledge of people, and this in turn compels me to believe in the common goodness of mankind.”

— Pearl S. Buck

This I Believe (1951)
Context: I enjoy life because I am endlessly interested in people and their growth. My interest leads me to widen my knowledge of people, and this in turn compels me to believe in the common goodness of mankind. I believe that the normal human heart is born good. That is, it’s born sensitive and feeling, eager to be approved and to approve, hungry for simple happiness and the chance to live. It neither wishes to be killed, nor to kill. If through circumstances, it is overcome by evil, it never becomes entirely evil. There remain in it elements of good, however recessive, which continue to hold the possibility of restoration.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I enjoy life because I am endlessly interested in people and their growth. My interest leads me to widen my knowledge o…" by Pearl S. Buck?

Pearl S. Buck photo

Pearl S. Buck 95

American writer 1892–1973

Related quotes

“I am interested in physical medicine because my father was. I am interested in medical research because I believe in it. I am interested in arthritis because I have it.”

Bernard Baruch (1870–1965) American businessman

As quoted in The New York Post (1 May 1959)

“The difference between ethics and morality is quite essential. What is beneficial for one people is the ethics. Morality is the matter of intention, when I say I believe something is good and I will do it because my motivation is right. The fact that in the end it will be a disaster, is not my fault, I did it for good reasons. I despise that. I think that it is the excuse of the weaker. I am not interested in intentions. I am interested in consequences. Any one can have good intentions, which I believe is the matter of decency. I do not discuss others’ intentions. I assume that anyone has good intentions. But it is so trivial, that I am not interested in it. I am interested in what comes next. If I will not benefit from the outcome, I am not interested in good intentions.”

Zoran Đinđić (1952–2003) Serbian politician

From Zoran Djindjic's speech held to students of Banja Luka University, 20.02.2003.

“I don't want you to be interested in my life. I want you to be interested in me.”

Nicci French book Killing Me Softly

Source: Killing Me Softly

“I believe that all religions are true and different religions are only the different ways to the same God.
For me God is the power of life and justice and when I am talking about God I am just talking about happiness to live and to enjoy life on earth. I feel that humanity should be one, that mankind should not be divided. The people should together work for much good. Well, this is my belief in God. Maybe I am not clear.”

Svetlana Alliluyeva (1926–2011) daughter of Joseph Stalin

"Svetlana Alliluyeva describes how she changed from Atheism", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, (May 20, 1967)

“The people in my life made me what I am.”

Colin Powell (1937) Former U.S. Secretary of State and retired four-star general

Source: It Worked For Me: In Life and Leadership (2012), p. 279

“I am interested in language because it wounds or seduces me.”

Roland Barthes book The Pleasure of the Text

Source: The Pleasure of the Text

“In my entire life there has been no occasion when I had to beg anyone for anything. This is the first time in my life that in Rajkot I have the occasion to ask for votes. I assure the people of Rajkot that I will return with interest whatever the people of Rajkot give me.”

Narendra Modi (1950) Prime Minister of India

2002, Modi election campaign speech, 2002

“A lot of people say that my life is wasted on me because I could be a bigger asshole than I am, but I've chosen not to be.”

Bette Midler (1945) American singer-songwriter, actress, comedian and film producer

The Strip podcast interviewed by Steve Friess PODXIES.

“I cannot keep a clock or a watch. They stop on me. Why won't time stay peacefully on my wrist? Is time not interested in me any more because I am dying?”

Peter Greenaway (1942) British film director

Dear Boullée

“My job is to assist the common people, I do politics for the people, not for me”

Sheikh Hasina (1947) Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Context: My job is to assist the common people, I do politics for the people, not for me... People are enjoying democracy now.

Related topics