--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your obligation is that of active…" description: "\"“Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/edsger-w-dijkstra-61234_active-participation_your-obligation-is-that-of-active-partic_376582.jpg" --- # Your obligation is that of active participation. You… ![“Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our wits” quote by Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/edsger-w-dijkstra-61234_active-participation_your-obligation-is-that-of-active-partic_376582.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/edsger-w-dijkstra-61234_active-participation_your-obligation-is-that-of-active-partic_376582.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/edsger-w-dijkstra-61234_active-participation_your-obligation-is-that-of-active-partic_376582.jpg) > ““Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our wits”” [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Active engagement beats passive absorption; learning is a shared sharpening process. **In simple terms:** Participate actively, not just absorb. Key Takeaway Engage, challenge, and grow together. Themes collaboration learning active participation Mood inspired thoughtful Type educational motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - study groups - workshops - online forums Key Concepts constructivism peer learning critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you become a catalyst for collective insight? - What habits turn you into a whetstone for others? A Different Perspective Passive listening limits depth of understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Active participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active-participation/) [Participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participation/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [The way of Jesus cannot be imposed or mapped — it requires an active participation in following Jesus as he leads us through sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-way-of-jesus-cannot-be-imposed-or-mapped-it-requires-an-active/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [The question so often asked of modern painting, "What is it?", contains more than the dull skepticism of the man who is not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-question-so-often-asked-of-modern-painting-what-is-it-contains/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [Gardening is an active participation in The deepest mysteries of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/gardening-is-an-active-participation-in-the-deepest-mysteries-of-the/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [Though government has an important role to play in meeting the many challenges that remain before us, we are coming to understand that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/though-government-has-an-important-role-to-play-in-meeting-the-many/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I'm an active participation guy. No matter how much money you make, no matter how famous you are, you're not above going outside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/i-m-an-active-participation-guy-no-matter-how-much-money-you-make-no/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [We do not understand democracy in its bourgeois meaning--of babbling, lack of discipline, anarchy. We understand democracy as the active participation of the citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolae-ceausescu/we-do-not-understand-democracy-in-its-bourgeois-meaning-of-babbling/) [Nicolae Ceausescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolae-ceausescu/) > [As South Korea shows, active participation in international trade does not require free trade. Indeed, had South Korea pursued free trade and not promoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/as-south-korea-shows-active-participation-in-international-trade-does/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. ... And the more comprehensively we work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-del-carmen-martinez-bordiu-y-franco/the-more-we-increase-the-active-participation-and-partnership-with/) Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco > [“Moving toward a more harmonious way of life and greater resilience requires our active participation. This means finding ways to become more aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandor-ellix-katz/moving-toward-a-more-harmonious-way-of-life-and-greater-resilience/) [Sandor Ellix Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandor-ellix-katz/) > [We wish for a broad-based government with the active participation of women, which will promote freedom and equal rights for women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sima-samar/we-wish-for-a-broad-based-government-with-the-active-participation-of/) Sima Samar > [Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/life-passes-by-now-like-the-scenery-outside-a-car-window-i-breathe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Women in the Arab world have a rich history in their active participation in political change from the Algeria revolution against the French occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-in-the-arab-world-have-a-rich-history-in-their-active/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [We can learn that reward comes in creation and re-creation, no just in the consumption of the world around us. Active participation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/we-can-learn-that-reward-comes-in-creation-and-re-creation-no-just-in/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) > [ For the production of man a different apprenticeship \[from forests\] was needed to sharpen the wits and quicken the higher manifestations of intellect -… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-dart/for-the-production-of-man-a-different-apprenticeship-from-forests-was/) Raymond Dart > [Lord, enlighten thou our enemies. Sharpen their wits, give acuteness to their perceptions, and consecutiveness and clearness to their reasoning powers: we are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/lord-enlighten-thou-our-enemies-sharpen-their-wits-give-acuteness-to/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## More by Edsger W. Dijkstra > [“In a society in which the educational system is used as an instrument for the establishment of a homogenized culture, in which the cream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/in-a-society-in-which-the-educational-system-is-used-as-an-instrument/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) > [“By claiming that they can contribute to software engineering, the soft scientists make themselves even more ridiculous. (Not less dangerous, alas!) In spite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/by-claiming-that-they-can-contribute-to-software-engineering-the-soft/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) > [“I think it wise, and only honest, to warn you that my goal is immodest. It is not my purpose to "transfer knowledge" to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/i-think-it-wise-and-only-honest-to-warn-you-that-my-goal-is-immodest/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) > [“It is not only the violin that shapes the violinist, we are all shaped by the tools we train ourselves to use, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/it-is-not-only-the-violin-that-shapes-the-violinist-we-are-all-shaped/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) [Explore all 5 Edsger W. Dijkstra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) ## More Active participation quotes > [We can learn that reward comes in creation and re-creation, no just in the consumption of the world around us. Active participation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/we-can-learn-that-reward-comes-in-creation-and-re-creation-no-just-in/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) > [Women in the Arab world have a rich history in their active participation in political change from the Algeria revolution against the French occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-in-the-arab-world-have-a-rich-history-in-their-active/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/life-passes-by-now-like-the-scenery-outside-a-car-window-i-breathe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [We wish for a broad-based government with the active participation of women, which will promote freedom and equal rights for women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sima-samar/we-wish-for-a-broad-based-government-with-the-active-participation-of/) Sima Samar > [I have formulated several levels of protest in my 'Sarabjit Bachao Andolan.' The first level is to get the active participation of the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raza-murad/i-have-formulated-several-levels-of-protest-in-my-sarabjit-bachao/) [Raza Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raza-murad/) > [“Moving toward a more harmonious way of life and greater resilience requires our active participation. This means finding ways to become more aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandor-ellix-katz/moving-toward-a-more-harmonious-way-of-life-and-greater-resilience/) [Sandor Ellix Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandor-ellix-katz/) > [“The faithful of Shiva or Dionysus seek contact with those forces which...lead to a refusal of the politics, ambitions and limitations of ordinary social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dani-lou/the-faithful-of-shiva-or-dionysus-seek-contact-with-those-forces/) Alain Daniélou > [The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. ... And the more comprehensively we work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-del-carmen-martinez-bordiu-y-franco/the-more-we-increase-the-active-participation-and-partnership-with/) Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco > [As South Korea shows, active participation in international trade does not require free trade. Indeed, had South Korea pursued free trade and not promoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/as-south-korea-shows-active-participation-in-international-trade-does/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [We do not understand democracy in its bourgeois meaning--of babbling, lack of discipline, anarchy. We understand democracy as the active participation of the citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolae-ceausescu/we-do-not-understand-democracy-in-its-bourgeois-meaning-of-babbling/) [Nicolae Ceausescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolae-ceausescu/) > [I'm an active participation guy. No matter how much money you make, no matter how famous you are, you're not above going outside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/i-m-an-active-participation-guy-no-matter-how-much-money-you-make-no/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [“A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed to pass much more slowly. Life passes by now like the scenery outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-but-it-has-seemed-to-pass-much/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Though government has an important role to play in meeting the many challenges that remain before us, we are coming to understand that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/though-government-has-an-important-role-to-play-in-meeting-the-many/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Im generally of the view that we should know the names of those who enacted and justified imperial power - but only if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/im-generally-of-the-view-that-we-should-know-the-names-of-those-who/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [Gardening is an active participation in The deepest mysteries of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/gardening-is-an-active-participation-in-the-deepest-mysteries-of-the/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) [Browse all 38 Active participation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active-participation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Your obligation is that of active participation. 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