--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing of only one small part of the…" description: "\"“Writing of only one small part of the broader problem, namely the single-minded pursuit of individualistic 'rights,' [Don] Feder is not wrong to concl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/d-a-carson-2-12097_duties_writing-of-only-one-small-part-of-the-br_1094726.jpg" --- # Writing of only one small part of the broader problem… ![“Writing of only one small part of the broader problem, namely the single-minded pursuit of individualistic 'rights,' [Don] Feder is not wrong to conclude: Absent a delicate balance--rights and duties, freedom and order--the social fabric begins to unravel. The rights explosion of the past three…” quote by D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/d-a-carson-2-12097_duties_writing-of-only-one-small-part-of-the-br_1094726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/d-a-carson-2-12097_duties_writing-of-only-one-small-part-of-the-br_1094726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/d-a-carson-2-12097_duties_writing-of-only-one-small-part-of-the-br_1094726.jpg) > ““Writing of only one small part of the broader problem, namely the single-minded pursuit of individualistic 'rights,' \[Don\] Feder is not wrong to conclude: Absent a delicate balance--rights and duties, freedom and order--the social fabric begins to unravel. The rights explosion of the past three decades has taken us on a rapid descent to a culture without civility, decency, or even that degree of discipline necessary to maintain an advanced industrial civilization. Our cities are cesspools, our urban schools terrorist training camps, our legislatures brothels where rights are sold to the highest electoral bidder.”” [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing individual rights with communal duties is essential; without it, society loses civility and cohesion. **In simple terms:** Rights need duties to keep society stable. Key Takeaway Promote mutual responsibility. Themes rights duties social cohesion civil discourse urban decay Mood concerned critical reflective Type political social commentary When to use this quote - urban planning - education reform - legislative ethics - community building Key Concepts social contract civic responsibility public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can we enforce duties without infringing freedoms? - What policies restore civic discipline? A Different Perspective Rights alone can erode social fabric if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civility Decency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility-decency-2250452/) [Duties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duties/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Individualistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualistic/) [Individualistic Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualistic-rights-2848690/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Explosion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-explosion-2848691/) [The-twentieth-century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-twentieth-century-189070/) [Unravel Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unravel-rights-2848692/) ## Related quotes > [“In the moral realm, there is very little consensus left in Western countries over the proper basis of moral behavior. And because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/in-the-moral-realm-there-is-very-little-consensus-left-in-western/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [The Soviet Union is going to have a human-rights explosion. You'll have hundreds of thousands of dissidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/the-soviet-union-is-going-to-have-a-human-rights-explosion-you-ll/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [“At this time, the cusp of the modern age, the hinge of the nineteenth century, had a plebiscite been taken amongst all the inhabitants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/at-this-time-the-cusp-of-the-modern-age-the-hinge-of-the-nineteenth/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [It's not beneficial when you have a presidential candidate like Donald Trump, telling his supporters "punch that guy in the face." I think everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-s-not-beneficial-when-you-have-a-presidential-candidate-like/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Gratitude is the beginning of civility, of decency and goodness, of a recognition that we cannot afford to be arrogant. We should walk with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/gratitude-is-the-beginning-of-civility-of-decency-and-goodness-of-a/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [There are no points for civility or decency when it comes to prosecuting the campaign against Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/there-are-no-points-for-civility-or-decency-when-it-comes-to/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [What concerns me most is the horrible degradation our notions of truth, civility, and decency have undergone. Also the way that language has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-concerns-me-most-is-the-horrible-degradation-our-notions-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In Savasana or in meditation, the light of the eyes is drawn towards the lotus of the heart, so that the seat of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/in-savasana-or-in-meditation-the-light-of-the-eyes-is-drawn-towards/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [ I think ultimately, people are selfish in that department \[blues\], in a good way - the reason we're attracted to art is because it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/i-think-ultimately-people-are-selfish-in-that-department-blues-in-a/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [Be yourself! Be individualistic!' he called out after me. 'But for God's sake get your hair cut. You look like an oddball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-zindel/be-yourself-be-individualistic-he-called-out-after-me-but-for-god-s/) [Paul Zindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-zindel/) > [The only truly individualistic health-care choice - where you receive care that is unpolluted by anyone else's funds - is to forgo insurance altogether,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/the-only-truly-individualistic-health-care-choice-where-you-receive/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) ## More by D.A. Carson > [“again. Here is a sober lesson. Even after times of spectacular revival, reformation, or covenantal renewal, the people of God are never more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/again-here-is-a-sober-lesson-even-after-times-of-spectacular-revival/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Looking closely at what these young people believe, one discovers that they have evidently never been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. The absence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/looking-closely-at-what-these-young-people-believe-one-discovers-that/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“If chastening were merely a matter of remedial education to morally neutral people, the timing and severity would not matter very much; we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/if-chastening-were-merely-a-matter-of-remedial-education-to-morally/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“The initial impetus to cross lines of race and heritage with the Gospel of Jesus Christ arose not from a committee planning world evangelization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/the-initial-impetus-to-cross-lines-of-race-and-heritage-with-the/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“The greatest intercessors have always recognized that far more connects them with the common lot of sinners than what distinguishes them—and in any case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/the-greatest-intercessors-have-always-recognized-that-far-more/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“we cannot imagine that the church gathers for worship on Sunday morning if by this we mean that we then engage in something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/we-cannot-imagine-that-the-church-gathers-for-worship-on-sunday/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Be patient; it is better to be a chastened saint than a carefree sinner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/be-patient-it-is-better-to-be-a-chastened-saint-than-a-carefree-sinner/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Where there is flagrant disavowal of the truths essential to the gospel, where there is persistent and high-handed disobedience to the commands of Jesus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/where-there-is-flagrant-disavowal-of-the-truths-essential-to-the/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“To appeal…to some ill-defined and sentimental notion of love as the ground for contravening Scripture may be a lot of things, but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/to-appeal-to-some-ill-defined-and-sentimental-notion-of-love-as-the/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“In a world of finite gods (often supported by one pantheistic deity), cyclical views of history, sub-biblical understandings of sin, multiplied idolatry, dualism that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/in-a-world-of-finite-gods-often-supported-by-one-pantheistic-deity/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“genuinely righteous people invariably become more aware of their personal guilt and need for forgiveness than those who have become so foul and hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/genuinely-righteous-people-invariably-become-more-aware-of-their/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“By the time of the Mosaic covenant, the peace offering (Lev 17:11ff.) was the divinely prescribed means of maintaining a harmonious relationship between God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/by-the-time-of-the-mosaic-covenant-the-peace-offering-lev-17-11ff-was/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“The truth of the matter is that meeting God is either transcendentally wonderful, or utterly horrific. If God meets sinners—sinners like you and me—in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-meeting-god-is-either/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Christians do not restrict their moral horizons to immediate results; they make their ethical decisions from an eternal perspective (p. 52).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/christians-do-not-restrict-their-moral-horizons-to-immediate-results/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Forbearance and genuine tenderheartedness are much tougher than niceness, and sometimes…tough love is confrontational (p. 54).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/forbearance-and-genuine-tenderheartedness-are-much-tougher-than/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) [Explore all 56 D.A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) ## More Duties quotes > [“You must not allow the hurt of the past to haunt or hinder you from fulfilling and performing your duties as one who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-must-not-allow-the-hurt-of-the-past-to-haunt-or-hinder-you-from/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [knowledge of our duties is the most useful part of philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/knowledge-of-our-duties-is-the-most-useful-part-of-philosophy/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Medical physicists work in cooperation with doctors. A few medical physicists devote their time to research and teaching. A few get involved with administrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron/medical-physicists-work-in-cooperation-with-doctors-a-few-medical/) [John Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron/) > [“I truly wanted to live a life in which I could make my own choices, independent of the 'duties' of my birth and position.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-truly-wanted-to-live-a-life-in-which-i-could-make-my-own-choices/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [I guess everybody has to pay duties at the Masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seve-ballesteros/i-guess-everybody-has-to-pay-duties-at-the-masters/) [Seve Ballesteros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seve-ballesteros/) > [Some duties exist simply because we are part of a larger family or community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/some-duties-exist-simply-because-we-are-part-of-a-larger-family-or/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [Duties are ours; events are God's. This removes an infinite burden from the shoulders of a miserable, tempted, dying creature. On this consideration only,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/duties-are-ours-events-are-god-s-this-removes-an-infinite-burden-from/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [One has two duties - to be worried and not to be worried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/one-has-two-duties-to-be-worried-and-not-to-be-worried/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [We have duties to others, and duties to ourselves, and we cannot shirk either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-have-duties-to-others-and-duties-to-ourselves-and-we-cannot-shirk/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Irrespective of the tasks given to me, I have done my best to discharge my duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnath-singh/irrespective-of-the-tasks-given-to-me-i-have-done-my-best-to/) [Rajnath Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnath-singh/) > [My husband is in charge of all phone, email and texting duties at home. He even has to turn on the TV and air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becki-newton/my-husband-is-in-charge-of-all-phone-email-and-texting-duties-at-home/) [Becki Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becki-newton/) > [I speak for all Malaysians in expressing my admiration for the Queen and the grace, poise and selflessness with which she has carried out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/i-speak-for-all-malaysians-in-expressing-my-admiration-for-the-queen/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-spent-several-years-in-a-north-vietnamese-prison-camp-in-the-dark/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“And he is not at an age right for renunciation; he has not even entered the stage of the householder, as befits a well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-abha-a/and-he-is-not-at-an-age-right-for-renunciation-he-has-not-even/) [Bāṇabhaṭṭa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-abha-a/) > [Where there are no rights, there are no duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/where-there-are-no-rights-there-are-no-duties/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 140 Duties quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duties/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Writing of only one small part of the broader problem, namely the single-minded pursuit of individualistic 'rights,' [Don] Feder is not wrong to conclude: Absent a delicate balance--rights and duties, freedom and order--the social fabric begins to unravel. The rights explosion of the past three decades has taken us on a rapid descent to a culture without civility, decency, or even that degree of discipline necessary to maintain an advanced industrial civilization. Our cities are cesspools, our urban schools terrorist training camps, our legislatures brothels where rights are sold to the highest electoral bidder.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D.A. 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