Quotes about Society

The government of a free country, properly speaking, is not in the persons, but in the laws.

Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first a patron, the last a punisher.

Of more worth is one honeset man to society, and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived.

And a government which cannot preserve the peace is no government at all, and in that case we pay our money for nothing;

I don't like the notion that artists have a responsibility to be political.

America is becoming so educated that ignorance will be a novelty. I will belong to the select few.

I believe the artist has an obligation to society.

Americans used to roar like lions for liberty; now we bleat like sheep for security.

America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between.

I won't tell you that the world matters nothing, or the world's voice, or the voice of society. They matter a good deal. They matter far too much. But there are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely—or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands. You have that moment now. Choose!

It is the stupid and the ugly who have the best of it in this world

One's real life is so often the life that one does not lead.