“we must judge men not so much by what they, as by what they make us feel that they have it in them to do. If a man has done enough in either painting, music, or the affairs of life, to make me feel that I might trust him in an emergency he has done enough”
Quote Analysis
In this quote by Samuel Butler, he emphasizes the importance of judging a person not solely based on their accomplishments, but on the sense of trust and confidence they evoke in others. Butler suggests that when an individual demonstrates their ability to excel in a certain field, whether it be painting, music, or life in general, it signifies their character and reliability. Ultimately, Butler argues that true judgements of a person should be based on the potential they show to inspire trust and faith in others during times of need.
Relevance in Today's Society
In the quote by Samuel Butler, he emphasizes the importance of judging individuals based on their potential rather than solely on their past accomplishments. This idea holds modern relevance as we continue to assess individuals not just on their current achievements, but also on their capacity to excel and contribute in the future.
Evaluating Men's Character
Samuel Butler's quote emphasizes the importance of judging individuals based on their potential rather than just their past actions. He suggests that trustworthiness can be determined by assessing a person's capability to achieve great things.
Reflection Questions:
Reflecting on Samuel Butler's quote about judging individuals based on our perception of their potential rather than their past actions, consider the following questions:
- How do you typically judge others: by what they have accomplished in the past, or by what you believe they are capable of achieving in the future?
- Can you think of a time when someone surprised you by going above and beyond your expectations, based on their previous performance?
- In what areas of your life do you believe it is most important to consider a person's potential rather than their track record?
Similar quotes
“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.”
“That is why Christians are told not to judge. We see only the results which a man's choices make out of his raw material. But God does not judge him on the raw material at all, but on what he has done with it.”
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
“We must meditate on what God has done in our life instead of what we are still waiting on Him to do.”
“They ascribe omnipotence and omniscience to him and I don't know what else; it seems to me so strange that they never credit him with common-sense or allow him tolerance. If he knew as much about human nature as I do he'd know how weak men are and how little control they have over their passions, he'd know how full of fear they are and how pitiful, he'd know how much goodness there is even in the worst and how much wickedness in the best. If he's capable of feeling he must be capable of remorse, and when he considers what a hash he's made in the creation of human kind can he feel anything but that? The wonder is that he does not make use of his omnipotence to annihilate himself. Perhaps that's just what he has done.”