From our newsletter Outside the Lines

Don’t take my word for it

Smart people thinking out loud about recognizing others’ humanity.

“Show me the person you honor, for I know better by that the kind of person you are. For you show me what your idea of humanity is.”
-Thomas Carlyle, Scottish philosopher

“Humanity is the keystone that holds nations and men together. When that collapses, the whole structure crumbles. This is as true of baseball teams as any other pursuit in life.”
-Connie Mack, American businessman

“Know that although in the eternal scheme of things you are small, you are also unique and irreplaceable, as are all your fellow humans everywhere in the world.”
-Margaret Lawrence, Canadian writer

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.”
-Thurgood Marshall, American judge

“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
-Desmond Tutu, South African cleric

“I love humanity but I hate people.”
-Edna St. Vincent Millay, American playwright

“What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other’s folly - that is the first law of nature.”
-Voltaire, French writer

“A man is morally free when, in full possession of his living humanity, he judges the world, and judges other men, with uncompromising sincerity.”
-George Santayana, Spanish poet

“The more I see of man, the more I like dogs.”
-Marguerite De Launay, Baronne De Staal, French writer