Olive Schreiner Quotes

He can kill anything for need but he could not even hurt a feeling for pleasure.

I have always believed in trying to be a good person and giving to the world, and treating others in a just, kind, merciful way.

Righteous is the one who was able to demonstrate compassion in face of human suffering.

Good character consists of recognizing the selfishness that inheres in each of us and trying to balance it against the altruism to which we should all aspire. It is a difficult balance to strike, but no definition of goodness can be complete without it.

Frankly, I'm not religious, but I believe in the cause of humanity - doing good work.

The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: 'If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?' But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: 'If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'

I think goodness is about how person behaves to person, and also person to world, to nature.

The great instrument of moral good is the imagination.

To feel much for others and little for ourselves; to restrain our selfishness and exercise our benevolent affections, constitute the perfection of human nature.

If everyone were a good person, it'd obviously be a better world.

There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham.

I want to be a good human being.

There are many reasons for kindness, and religion is just one of them.

Because a human being is endowed with empathy, he violates the natural order if he does not reach out to those who need care. Responding to this empathy, one is in harmony with the order of things, with dharma; otherwise, one is not.

My belief is that people are innately good and innately do want to help their fellow man.

Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.

Be kind to others before you take care of yourself; make whoever you're with feel like they matter.

How you treat the helpless is the real test of morality. Lots of people are flunking that test big time.

What would Jesus, or any human being who isn't an asshole, do?

How can I act in an impersonal manner? When a man dies in the street for want of food, how can I ignore him? When I find a starving or naked man in the street, I cannot walk past him. I think no human being can do that.

I really don't want to hurt others for my benefit.

Ever since then I have known that if all the values in this world are more or less questionable, the most important thing in life is kindness.

I will to make life less bitter for a few within my reach.

If I can stop one heart from breaking…” Emily Dickinson If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.

He almosted smiled. "There you go again. Why? Why do yo keep helping me?" There were a million answers on my lips, everything from It's the right thing to do to I don't know. Instead, I said, "Because I want to.