The first duty of a man is to think for himself
About this quote
- Attributed to
- José Martí
- Attribution status
- As published
Photo: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Portrait: Cuba. Secretaría de Instrucción Pública y Bellas Artes. (CC0)
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More from José Martí & related wisdom
Freedom isn't free. It shouldn't be a bragging point that "Oh, I don't get involved in politics," as if that makes you somehow cleaner. No, that makes you derelict of duty in a republic. Liars and panderers in government would have a much harder time of it if so many people didn't insist on their right to remain ignorant and blindly agreeable.
Without free, self-respecting, and autonomous citizens there can be no free and independent nations. Without internal peace, that is, peace among citizens and between the citizens and the state, there can be no guarantee of external peace.
