Accepting Quote by Arthur Conan Doyle
“You know how often the turning down this street or that, the accepting or rejecting of an invitation, may deflect the whole current of our lives into some other channel. Are we mere leaves, fluttered hither and thither by the wind, or are we rather, with every conviction that we are free agents, carried steadily along to a definite and pre-determined end?”
About This Quote
Source Story: The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1902
Our choices can dramatically redirect life's path, questioning whether we are passive or active agents.
In simple terms: Choices shape destiny; we may be passive or active.
Key Takeaway
Recognize agency in decisions.
Themes
choice
destiny
free will
determinism
Mood
contemplative
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- career decisions
- relationships
- travel plans
- political voting
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you see yourself as steering or drifting?
- How do small choices accumulate?
A Different Perspective
Life's complexity may limit clear agency.
![“There exists in our society widespread fear of judging…[B]ehind the unwillingness to judge lurks the suspicion that no one is a free agent, and hence doubt that anyone is responsible or could be expected to answer for what he has done…Who has ever maintained that by judging a wrong I presuppose…” quote by Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8ba/hannah-arendt-610_agents_there-exists-in-our-society-widespread-f_1561567.jpg)
