This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
There is as yet no civilized society, but only a society in the process of becoming civilized. There is as yet no civilized nation, but only nations in the process of becoming civilized. From this standpoint, we can now speak of a collective task of humankind. The task of humanity is to build a genuine civilization.
Civilization | Humanity | Nations | Society | Society |
The growth of bureaucracy is largely self-engendered, in the sense that only a small part of it derides from the real requirements of the function to be served, the greater part being the product of tendencies and pressures arising within the bureaucratic process.
Sum up at night what thou hast done by day, and in the morning what thou hast to do; dress and undress thy soul; mark the decay or growth of it. If with thy watch that too be down, then wind up both. Since thou shalt be most surely judged, make thine accounts agree.
True friendship is a slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.
Adversity | Growth | Friendship |
As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.
Conduct | Government | Hope | Justice | Mankind | Nations | Will |
Henry Miller, aka Henry Valentine Miller
All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous, unpremeditated act without benefit of experience.
Experience | Growth |
Henry Kissinger, fully Henry Alfred Kissinger
When nations are able to inflict tens of millions of casualties in a matter of hours, peace has become a moral imperative.
Should we welcome the huge growth of the military budget at the expense of health, education, the needs of children, one fifth of whom grow up in poverty? I suggest that a patriotic American who cares for his or her country might act on behalf of a different vision. Instead of being feared for our military prowess, we should want to be respected for our dedication to human rights.
Children | Dedication | Education | Growth | Health | Poverty | Prowess | Rights | Vision |
The determination of what constitutes right in war, is the most difficult problem of the right of nations and international law. It is very difficult even to form a conception of such a right, or to think of any law in this lawless state without falling into a contradiction.
Contradiction | Determination | Law | Nations | Right | War | Think |
John Kenneth Galbraith, aka "Ken"
[The] men of the technostructure are the new and universal priesthood. Their religion is business success; their test of virtue is growth and profit. Their bible is the computer printout; their communion bench is the committee room.
Bible | Business | Computer | Growth | Men | Religion | Success | Virtue | Virtue | Business | Bible |
God sure esteems the growth and completing of one virtuous person, more than the restraint of ten vicious.
To nourish the soul means to become kinder, more compassionate, wiser, and more loving, often through the making of difficult choices that foster growth rather than safety.
John Kenneth Galbraith, aka "Ken"
These men of the technostructure are the new and universal priesthood. Their religion is business success; their test of virtue is growth and profit. Their bible is the computer printout; their communion bench is the committee room.
Bible | Business | Computer | Growth | Men | Religion | Success | Virtue | Virtue | Business | Bible |
Our lives unfold only in moments. If we are not fully present for many of those moments, we may not only miss what is most valuable in our lives but also fail to realize the richness and depth of our possibilities for growth and transformation.
Before the twelfth century the nations were too savage to be Christian, and after the fifteenth too carnal to be Christian.
Nations |