Free man Quote by David Pietrusza
““The right to resign is one of the cherished privileges of a free man; the willingness to resign, when principle and the public interest are served, is always present in the public-spirited and the self-respecting. They look upon resigning, not as a cowardice and quitting and a personal disaster, but as the ultimate guarantee of their useful influence and of their personal dignity. - Walter Lippmann””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Public Opinion, 1922
Resigning for principle is a noble act that preserves dignity and influence, not a sign of cowardice.
In simple terms: Resigning on principle is honorable.
Key Takeaway
Stand up for values, even if it means leaving.
Themes
principle
integrity
courage
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- political office
- corporate board
- activist movements
Key Concepts
public service
ethical leadership
Questions to Reflect On
- When is it better to stay and fight?
- What risks accompany principled resignation?
A Different Perspective
Resignation can reduce immediate impact or power.
![“So in the twentieth century, there’s a major current of American thought―in fact, it’s probably the dominant current among people who think about these things [political scientists, journalists, public relations experts and so on]―which says that precisely because the state has lost the power to…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da6/noam-chomsky-42_consumerism_so-in-the-twentieth-century-there-s-a-ma_2760423.jpg)
![“[S]cience, to [Walter] Lippmann, embodied a deep awareness of the irrationality and partiality of all human beings, which led its possessors to oppose the will to dominate wherever it appeared.” quote by Andrew Jewett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8a3/andrew-jewett-219168_knowledge_s-cience-to-walter-lippmann-embodied-a-d_1104884.jpg)
![“The solution to this problem [welfare-statism] must take a positive form: the restoration of a faith in what free men can accomplish.” quote by Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/456/leonard-read-14543_accomplish_the-solution-to-this-problem-welfare-sta_46640.jpg)
