Confucius Quotes

Those who are successfully to lead their fellow-men, should have once possessed the nobler feelings. We have all known individuals whose magnanimity was not likely to be troublesome on any occasion; but then they betrayed their own interests by unwisely omitting the consideration, that such feelings might exist in the breasts of those whom they had to guide and govern: for they themselves cannot even remember the time when in their eyes justice appeared preferable to expediency, the happiness of others to self-interest, or the welfare of a State to the advancement of a party.

The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.

If one is guided by profit in one's actions, one will incur much ill will.

If your desire for 'good' is based on greed, it is not good, but greed.

I feel that the world is increasingly about the bottom line, and not so much about human respect or human dignity. In that regard, people who care about other people will not be in a position to make choices and do things that other people who they're competing against will get to do.

A superior man thinks of what is right. A small man thinks of profit.

It has always seemed strange to me. The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success.

To treat others ethically is to act out of concern for their happiness and suffering.

People who expect to feel guilty tend to be more sympathetic, to put themselves into other people's shoes, to think about the consequences of their behaviour before acting, and to treasure their morals. As a result they are less prone to lie, cheat or behave immorally when they conduct a business deal or spot an opportunity to make money, studies suggest. They are also likely to make better employees because people who think less about the future results of their actions are more likely to be late, to steal or to be rude to clients.

Vertue flies from the heart of a Mercenary man.

Essential characteristics of a gentleman: The will to put himself in the place of others; the horror of forcing others into positions from which he would himself recoil; and the power to do what seems to him to be right without considering what others may say or think.

No man is really honest; none of us is above the influence of gain.

There is little evidence that other animals judge the appropriateness of actions that do not directly affect themselves.

I believe that the human motive to share is very powerful. The human motive to profit is also very powerful, and I think that the profit motive and the sharing motive are not exclusive.

The measure of and self-congratulation for our own intelligence should have its basis in our moral behavior as well as our smarts.

In the military, they give medals for people who are willing to sacrifice themselves so that others may survive. In business, we give bonuses to people who sacrifice others.

I didn't do it because of the underlying greed that's prevailing, but it is about greed, doing the right thing at the right time using your clout when you have it and what for and what reason.

I place a high moral value on the way people behave. I find it repellent to have a lot, and to behave with anything other than courtesy in the old sense of the word - politeness of the heart, a gentleness of the spirit.

We should aim for our children to be good people, and to live ethical lives that manifest concern for others as well as for themselves.

People instinctively know the difference between something done with a profit motive and something done with a love motive.

I'm not very interested in myself. I do have a deep moral belief that you should always look out at other things and not be self-centred.

Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.

Leadership is a privilege to better the lives of others. It is not an opportunity to satisfy personal greed.

I hate liberality - nine times out of ten it is cowardice, and the tenth time lack of principle.

I want to be a good human being.