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Hero-worship is the deepest root of all; the tap-root…

“Hero-worship is the deepest root of all; the tap-root, from which in a great degree all the rest were nourished and grown . . . Worship of a Hero is transcendent admiration of a Great Man. I say great men are still admirable; I say there is, at bottom, nothing else admirable! No nobler feeling…” quote by Thomas Carlyle
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“Hero-worship is the deepest root of all; the tap-root, from which in a great degree all the rest were nourished and grown . . . Worship of a Hero is transcendent admiration of a Great Man. I say great men are still admirable; I say there is, at bottom, nothing else admirable! No nobler feeling than this of admiration for one higher than himself dwells in the breast of men.”

Thomas Carlyle

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Hero worship stems from a deep human need to admire greatness, seeing it as a noble feeling that elevates the self.

In simple terms: Admiring great people is a noble human instinct.

Key Takeaway

Respect and learn from role models.

Themes

admiration heroism human nature

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • leadership development
  • education
  • personal growth

Key Concepts

psychology philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • Who inspires you and why?
  • How can admiration be balanced with critical thinking?
A Different Perspective

Blind hero worship can ignore flaws in leaders.

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