Indeed, I am sometimes inclined to doubt whether some men consider youth as rational and intelligent beings, with minds capable of expansion, and talents formed for usefulness.
quote by Joseph Lancaster

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What our leaders and pundits never let slip is that the terrorists - whatever else they might be - might also be rational human beings; which is to say that in their own minds they have a rational justification for their actions.
quote by William Blum

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Talents Die Easily In Africa!
Oh talents, oh talents!
Talents do die easily in Africa;
But, talents are special gifts which,
Money cannot buy.
It is a special gift,
It is in you,
You don't even need a Higher Degree for them;
Talents are everywhere on this earth.
The talents of Africa do die very often,
Who is even ready to listen to them?
The true talents of the Africans go to the drain.
Like a rain on a train,
Like an early wake up call without a view;
Life is really so strange over here in Africa.
I have a dream!
But, who will listen?
My brain is with various talents but,
Who will help me with my dreams?
Talents, talents, talents! !
Africa turns to regress in this field while,
Others do progress!
Our talents can be useful,
It's time we give a helping hand;
Oh talents, oh talents!
It's time we listen to those who have them;
Cos', we are the world.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis

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Be unselfish. That is the first and final commandment for those who would be useful and happy in their usefulness. If you think of yourself only, you cannot develop because you are choking the source of development, which is spiritual expansion through thought for others.
quote by Charles William Eliot

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Maybe altruism is our most primitive attribute out of reach, beyond our control. Or perhaps it is immediately at hand, waiting to be released, disguised now, in our kind of civilization as affection or friendship or attachment. I can’t see why it should be unreasonable for all human beings to have strands of DNA coiled up in chromosomes, coding out instincts for usefulness and helpfulness. Usefulness may turn out to be the hardest test of fitness for survival, more important than aggression, more effective, in the long run, than grabbiness.
quote by Lewis Thomas

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Happiness is possible only to a rational man, the man who desires nothing but rational goals, seeks nothing but rational values and finds his joy in nothing buy rational actions.
Ayn Rand in Atlas Shrugged

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Talents
Lucky am I, a well-talented youth;
Umptine talents I possessed- is the truth!
Talents, God has given to all of us;
He decides to defer or allow use.
Some have talents many; some few; some none;
Nurture them, we must whenever we can;
Develop them, ’tis our sacred duty;
Some are ignorant of inner beauty,
Which lies hidden, seek opportunity;
To express; remain not with vanity;
In one’s life; To remain in a shackle!
Let not frustration be thine obstacle.
Just as the male deer knows not its own musk;
Murmur we must not, take desired risk;
Await thy golden time, God gives some day;
Render justice to thine talents some way!
poem by John Celes

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Sonnet: Human Talents
Human beings are made of finer stuff!
Some introspection will reveal the same;
Some have many talents- This is no bluff;
If well-nurtured, they give him name and fame.
But where is the time to do all these things?
Time is so short, most precious and fleeting;
Much of it is wasted just like hot drinks,
In worthless things, in glamour and eating.
Time is lost in unknown ways every day;
A lot too in emotional reactions;
Time can be saved in a sensible way;
Talents give success by proper actions.
O man, search thy mind and heart for talents;
You’ll surely find them in measures immense.
poem by John Celes

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No rational argument will have a rational effect on a man who does not want to adopt a rational attitude.
quote by Karl Popper

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sane and intelligent human beings are like all other human beings, and carefully and cautiously and diligently conceal their private real opinions from the world and give out fictitious ones in their stead for general consumption.
quote by Mark Twain

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Leaves
Leaves fall down on the ground.
Yellow.
Green.
Brown .
Which ones are the better leaves?
All of them are equal for they are all leaves.
Each leave may have a different shape and color but still not better than the other.
For humans are similar to leaves we may all have different shapes, sizes, and talents.
But all still human beings.
We fall.
We rise
And then pick ourselves up.
So we all aren't better than each other.
But just have different talents.
poem by Christina J. Williams

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The obsession required to see a feature through from concept to release is not a rational thing to do with your brief time on this planet. Nor is it something to which an intelligent person should aspire.
quote by Yahoo Serious

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sentience
Intelligence strives for completion of tasks,
Inside the holes and work, the very flasks.
May we steal the treasure of all time and infinite space,
Then intelligent beings shall perish, along the walls that disgrace.
Let us be some of this hyperspace, willing to work,
Reluctant to stop and even by a bulwark.
The structure called space empties us ruined,
We have what is blackened.
The very river of light curtained and cautioned,
Like a lamp has talents on us when deafened.
Intelligence or sentience carries us further,
Like an alien or human, like future and past patroller.
poem by Naveed Akram

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Sarah is very strong. She's really intelligent and she's very physically capable. I like to put that into my own life as well.
quote by Yvonne Strahovski

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We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness is about as close to a 'common goal' of nature as I can guess at. And finally, and perhaps best of all, we have music.
quote by Lewis Thomas

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It is inevitable that those to whom is vouchsafed a long life of usefulness should outlive the friends of their youth.
quote by Cleveland Abbe

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Talents are best nurtured in solitude character is best formed in the stormy billows of the world.

Talents are best nurtured in solitude; but character is best formed in the stormy billows of the world.

Talents are best nurtured in solitude character is best formed in the stormy billows of the world.
Men was formed for society, and is neither capable of living alone, nor has the courage to do it.
quote by William Blackstone

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language.... We have affection We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness is about as close to a "common goal" of nature as I can guess at. And finally, and perhaps best of all, we have music.
Lewis Thomas in The Medusa and the Snail (1979)

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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