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John Stuart Mill Quotes - Page 5

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We have a right, also, in various ways, to act upon our unfavorable opinion of anyone, not to the oppression of his individuality, but in the exercise of ours.

We have a right, also, in various ways, to act upon our unfavorable opinion of anyone, not to the oppression of his individuality, but in the exercise of ours.

John Stuart Mill
Exercise, Individuality, Way
John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham, John Troyer (2003). “The Classical Utilitarians: Bentham and Mill”, p.210, Hackett Publishing

In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service.

John Stuart Mill
Political, Age, Example
John Stuart Mill (1989). “J. S. Mill: 'On Liberty' and Other Writings”, p.67, Cambridge University Press

He who lets the world, or his own portion of it, choose his plan of life for him, has no need of any other faculty than the ape-like one of imitation. He who chooses his plan for himself, employs all his faculties. He must use observation to see, reasoning and judgment to foresee, activity to gather materials for decision, discrimination to decide, and when he has decided, firmness and self-control to hold to his deliberate decision.

John Stuart Mill
Self, Decision, Apes
John Stuart Mill (1865). “On Liberty”, p.34

Stupidity is much the same all the world over. A stupid person's notions and feelings may confidently be inferred from those which prevail in the circle by which the person is surrounded. Not so with those whose opinions and feelings are an emanation from their own nature and faculties.

John Stuart Mill
Stupid, Circles, Feelings
John Stuart Mill, Harriet Taylor Mill (2015). “Essays on Sex Equality”, p.151, University of Chicago Press

Most boys or youths who have had much knowledge drilled into them, have their mental capacities not strengthened, but overlaid by it. They are crammed with mere facts, and with the opinions and phrases of other people, and these are accepted as a substitute for the power to form opinions of their own. And thus, the sons of eminent fathers, who have spared no pains in their education, so often grow up mere parroters of what they have learnt, incapable of using their minds except in the furrows traced for them.

John Stuart Mill
Growing Up, Pain, Father
John Stuart Mill (2015). “Autobiography John Stuart Mill: Top Biography”, p.15, 谷月社

The study of science teaches young men to think, while study of the classics teaches them to express thought.

John Stuart Mill
Science, Men, Thinking

Stupidity is much the same all the world over

John Stuart Mill
Stupidity, World
John Stuart Mill (2015). “On Liberty, Utilitarianism and Other Essays”, p.430, OUP Oxford

A great statesman is he who knows when to depart from traditions, as well as when to adhere to them.

John Stuart Mill
Tradition, Wells, Statesmen
John Stuart Mill (2015). “On Liberty, Utilitarianism and Other Essays”, p.239, OUP Oxford

Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.

John Stuart Mill
Happiness, Happy, Heart
Autobiography ch. 5 (1873)

Both teachers and learners go to sleep at their post as soon as there is no enemy in the field.

John Stuart Mill
Teacher, Sleep, Enemy
John Stuart Mill (2008). “Utilitarianism and On Liberty: Including 'Essay on Bentham' and Selections from the Writings of Jeremy Bentham and John Austin”, p.120, John Wiley & Sons

The fatal tendency of mankind to leave off thinking about a thing when it is no longer doubtful is the cause of half their errors.

John Stuart Mill
Thinking, Errors, Individuality
On Liberty ch. 2 (1859)

A people among whom there is no habit of spontaneous action for a collective interest - who look habitually to their government to command or prompt them in all matters of joint concern - who expect to have everything done for them, except what can be made an affair of mere habit and routine - have their faculties only half developed; their education is defective in one of its most important branches.

John Stuart Mill
Wisdom, Government, People
John Stuart Mill (1849). “Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy : in Two Volumes”, p.516

Landlords grow rich in their sleep without working, risking or economizing. The increase in the value of land, arising as it does from the efforts of an entire community, should belong to the community and not to the individual who might hold title.

John Stuart Mill
Sleep, Land, Effort
"Principles of Political Economy". Book by John Stuart Mill, book V, chap. 2, 1848.

All attempts by the State to bias the conclusions of its citizens on disputed subjects, are evil.

John Stuart Mill
Evil, Citizens, States
John Stuart Mill (1864). “On Liberty”, p.193

History shows that great economic and social forces flow like a tide over communities only half conscious of that which is befalling them. Wise statesmen foresee what time is thus bringing, and try to shape institutions and mold men's thoughts and purposes in accordance with the change that is silently coming on. The unwise are those who bring nothing constructive to the process, and who greatly imperil the future of mankind by leaving great questions to be fought out between ignorant change on one hand and ignorant opposition to change on the other.

John Stuart Mill
Wise, Men, Hands

A state which dwarfs its men, in order that they may be more docile instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes--will find that with small men no great thing can really be accomplished.

John Stuart Mill
Men, Hands, Order
'On Liberty' (1859) ch. 5

It is questionable if all the mechanical inventions yet made have lightened the day's toil of any human being.

John Stuart Mill
Technology, Toil, Invention
John Stuart Mill, Jonathan Riley (1998). “Principles of Political Economy: And Chapters on Socialism”, p.129, Oxford University Press, USA

Most persons have but a very moderate capacity of happiness. Expecting...in marriage a far greater degree of happiness than they commonly find, and knowing not that the fault is in their own scanty capability of happiness.

John Stuart Mill
Knowing, Degrees, Faults

There is one plain rule of life. Try thyself unweariedly till thou findest the highest thing thou art capable of doing, faculties and outward circumstances being both duly considered, and then do it.

John Stuart Mill
Art, Excellence, Trying

With equality of experience and of general faculties, a woman usually sees much more than a man of what is immediately before her.

John Stuart Mill
Men, Experience, Faculty
1869 The Subjection of Women, ch.3.

To mistake money for wealth, is the same sort of error as to mistake the highway which may be the easiest way of getting to your house or lands, for the house and lands themselves.

John Stuart Mill
Mistake, Errors, Land
John Stuart Mill (1866). “Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy”, p.4

Strong impulses are but another name for energy. Energy may be turned to bad uses; but more good may always be made of an energetic nature, than of an indolent and impassive one.

John Stuart Mill
Strong, Names, Energy
John Stuart Mill (1864). “On Liberty”, p.108

As often as a study is cultivated by narrow minds, they will draw from it narrow conclusions.

John Stuart Mill
Mind, Study, Conclusion
'Auguste Comte and Positivism' (1865) pt. 1, p. 82

It often happens that the universal belief of one age of mankind — a belief from which no one was, nor without an extraordinary effort of genius and courage, could at that time be free — becomes to a subsequent age so palpable an absurdity, that the only difficulty then is to imagine how such a thing can ever have appeared credible.

John Stuart Mill
Ideas, Effort, Age
"Collected Works: Principles of political economy".

However unwillingly a person who has a strong opinion may admit the possibility that his opinion may be false, he ought to be moved by the consideration that, however true it may be, if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead dogma, not a living truth.

John Stuart Mill
Strong, May, Opinion
John Stuart Mill (1864). “On Liberty”, p.64

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