Strength | Kevin Barrett's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Strength’

And Sometimes Laughter

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Laurie Halse Anderson, Measurement, Philosophy, Pounds, Quotes, Smiles, Strength on December 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I am beginning to measure myself in strength, not pounds. Sometimes in smiles.

— Laurie Halse Anderson

.
Click here (19 December) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

YOUR Job: Ask Questions, Demand Truth

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged A Republic, American Politics, Ask Questions, Benjamin Franklin, Citizenship, Demand Truth, Democracy, Fair Game, Free Ride, Independence Hall, Joe Wilson, Our Job, Philosophy, Quotes, Responsibility, Sean Penn, Speak Out, State Of The Union, Strength, Tyranny on September 9, 2025| 2 Comments »

When Benjamin Franklin left Independence Hall just after the second drafting, he was approached by a woman in the street. The woman said, ‘Mr. Franklin, what manner of government have you bequeathed us?’ And Franklin said, ‘*A Republic, madam. If you can keep it.*’

The responsibility of a country is not in the hands of a privileged few. We are strong, and we are free from tyranny as long as each one of us remembers his or her duty as a citizen. Whether it’s to report a pothole at the top of your street or lies in a State of the Union address — speak out! Ask those questions. Demand that truth. Democracy is not a free ride, man. I’m here to tell you. But this is where we live. And if we do our job, this is where our children will live. God bless America.

— Joe Wilson
From the movie “Fair Game“. This is the closing monologue of the character (former Ambassador) Joe Wilson as delivered by the actor Sean Penn

.
Click here (9 September) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

But Also Enjoy The Journey

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Alberto Juantorena, Becoming A Champion, Life, Methodical, Philosophy, Quotes, Strength on September 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Be very strong… be very methodical in your life if you want to be a champion.

— Alberto Juantorena

.
Click here (8 September) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Crowds Or Adulation

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Crowds, Mobs, Needs, Nerve, Paul Brunton, Philosophy, Quotes, Solitude, Strength, Weakness on May 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Solitude is strength; to depend on the presence of the crowd is weakness. The man who needs a mob to nerve him is much more alone than he imagines.

— Paul Brunton

.
Click here (27 May) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Your Own Idiot Detection System

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Commencement Address, Compassion, Cruelty, Don't Trust Idiots, Dwight Shroute, Empathy, Evanstone, Fear, https://speakola.com/, Idiots, Illinois, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Judgement, Kindness, Northwestern University, Other Website, Philosophy, Quotes, Star Wars, Strength, Successful, The Office, Weakness on March 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

‘Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, would an idiot do that, and if they would, I do not do that thing.‘ — Dwight Shroute

The entire efficacy of this incredibly useful piece of information hinges upon your ability to pick the right idiot. I wish there was a foolproof way to spot idiots, but counterintuitively, some idiots are very smart. They can dazzle you with words and misdirection. They can get promoted above you at work. They can even be elected president.

If you want to be successful in this world, you have to develop your own idiot detection system. As part of the responsibilities of being your commencement speaker, I’m going to share mine. Sure. I’m naturally suspicious of people who never saw the original Star Wars movies, and even more cautious of people who loved the prequels and the sequels. But I admit this is not a reliable idiot indicator. No. The best way to spot an idiot, look for the person who is cruel. Let me explain. When we see someone who doesn’t look like us, or sound like us, or act like us, or love like us, or live like us, the first thought that crosses almost everyone’s brain is rooted in either fear or judgement or both. That’s evolution. We survived as a species by being suspicious of things that we aren’t familiar with. In order to be kind, we have to shut down that animal instinct and force our brain to travel a different pathway.

Empathy and compassion are evolved states of being. They require the mental capacity to step past our most primal urges. This may be a surprising assessment because somewhere along the way in the last few years, our society has come to believe that weaponized cruelty is part of some well-thought out Master plan. Cruelty is seen by some as an adroit cudgel to gain power. Empathy and kindness are considered weak. Many important people look at the vulnerable only as rungs on a ladder to the top. I’m here to tell you that when someone’s path through this world is marked with acts of cruelty, they have failed the first test of an advanced society. They never forced their animal brain to evolve past its first instinct. They never forged new mental pathways to overcome their own instinctual fears. And so their thinking and problem solving will lack the imagination and creativity that the kindest people have in spades. Over my many years in politics and business, I have found one thing to be universally true. The kindest person in the room is often the smartest.

— Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker
From his speech: ‘Don’t trust idiots‘
Northwestern University Commencement Speech
14 June 2023, Northwestern University, Evanstone, Illinois

The full text of the speech is available at: https://speakola.com/grad/jb-pritzker-dont-trust-idiots-northwestern-university-2023
— kmab]

.
Click here (22 March) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

American Freedom Bends Under #47DonTheFelon

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #47DonTheFelon, American Politics, Bamboo, Bruce Lee, Democracy, Questions, Quotes, Strength, Wind on February 11, 2025| 4 Comments »

The strongest is he that makes use of his opponent’s strength — be the bamboo tree which bends toward the wind; and when the wind ceases, it springs back stronger than before.

— Bruce Lee

.
Click here (11 February) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

What You Can Do

Posted in Other Blogs, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Beauty, Defeat, http://missfloetry.wordpress.com/, Love, Missfloetry, Other Blogs, Pain, Philosophy, Quotes, Strength, Symbols, Tragedy on December 13, 2024| 2 Comments »

In times of unimaginable tragedy, we are left wondering to things: why it happened, and what we can do to make sure it never happens again. While the answers to those questions aren’t easily found, there are things we can all do to restore our hope and faith in humanity.

We can be symbols of strength, and not let the pain inflicted upon us defeat us. We can be symbols of resilience, and live our lives to the fullest in honor of those who never got that chance. We can be symbols of compassion, and give a helping hand to someone who has fallen on hard times. We can be symbols of beauty, and create it for others everywhere we go. And most of all, we can be the symbols of love the world so desperately needs, and give and receive it as unselfishly as we can.

At moments when we don’t think we can make things better, we can. We just have to go out and be symbols of everything that’s good in the world. That’s what we can do.

— missfloetry
The title of this post was: “Symbols”
It was located at the site: http://missfloetry.wordpress.com
The original post location was: http://missfloetry.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/symbols/
[Unfortunately, the site has been removed by the owner. — kmab]

.
Click here (13 December) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Our Greatest Strength

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Charles M. Schulz, Joel Lipton, Minorities, Peanuts, Philosophy, Quotes, Strength on November 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »

I believe that our greatest strength lies always in the protection of our smallest minorities.

— Charles M. Schulz
Creator of the comic strip: “Peanuts“
9 November 1970, from a letter to a child fan: Joel Lipton

.
Click here (23 November) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Cultivating The Potentially Existent

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Commitment, Dalai Lama, Fear, God, Inner Peace, Insecurity, Life, Obstacles, Philosophy, Quotes, R. Buckminster Fuller, Strength, Success, Wisdom on August 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.

— Dalai Lama

I am going to commit myself completely to the wisdom of God and to [the] realization of the advantages for all humanity potentially existent in what life has already taught and may as yet teach me.

— R. Buckminster Fuller

.
Click here (29 August) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Save The Republic: Vote Biden In November

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Conflict, Difficulties, Human Spirit, Philosophy, Quotes, Strength, Vote In Nov 2024, William Ellery Channing on July 18, 2024| 4 Comments »

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.

–– William Ellery Channing

.
Click here (18 July) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Stars, Flowers, Hope, Silence

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Beauty, Chief Dan George, Flowers, Hearts, Hope, Philosophy, Prayers, Quotes, Sadness, Silence, Stars, Strength, Tears, Tsleil-Waututh Nation on June 11, 2024| 2 Comments »

May the stars carry your sadness away,
May the flowers fill your heart with beauty,
May hope forever wipe away your tears,
And, above all, may silence make you strong.

— Chief Dan George
Tsleil-Waututh Nation

.
Click here (11 June) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Core Secrets Exist

Posted in Faith, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Brains, Core, Faith, Inspiration, Knowledge, Nikola Tesla, Philosophy, Quotes, Science, Secrets, Strength, Universe on May 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.

–– Nikola Tesla

.
Click here (21 May) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Strength And Weakness

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Daughters, Fathers, Kindness, Philosophy, President Barack Obama, Quotes, Respect, Strength, Weakness on March 5, 2024| 2 Comments »

I am sure those of you who have sons feel the same way, but there is something about daughters and their fathers. And I was thinking, I would want my daughters to know how much I love them, but I would also want them to know that being a strong man includes being kind. That there is nothing weak about kindness and compassion. There is nothing weak about looking out for others. There is nothing weak about being honorable. You are not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect.

–– President Barack Obama

.
Click here (5 March) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Gentle Strength

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Gentleness, Philosophy, Quotes, Saint Francis de Sales, Strength on February 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.

— Saint Francis de Sales

.
Click here (16 February) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

Read Full Post »

Stuck In The Middle…

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Albert Camus, Calm, Chaos, French, Happiness, Hate, Invincibility, Love, Philosophy, Quotes, Smile, Strength, Summer, Tears, Translations, Winter on November 14, 2023| 2 Comments »

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

— Albert Camus

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.
In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.
In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
I realized, through it all, that…
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

— Albert Camus

[The fuller version is attributed to Camus, but are “probably” not his words. At least nobody has been able to locate the quote in his writings. The shorter version is widely attributed to Camus, but I’m advised (I haven’t personally read Camus’ works – which are in French) that this is also not an accurate translation, but does capture the meaning. (ex.: “Midst” is sometimes translated as “middle”.) In any case, the longer version is something it feels like he could have written. — kmab]

.
Click here (14 November) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.