--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My temperament and habit had always kept…" description: "\"My temperament and habit had always kept me rather in the middle of the road; in politics as well as in social reform I had been for \"the best possible..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/jane-addams-6111_clear_my-temperament-and-habit-had-always-kept_863164.png" --- # My temperament and habit had always kept me rather in the… ![“My temperament and habit had always kept me rather in the middle of the road; in politics as well as in social reform I had been for "the best possible." But now I was pushed far toward the left on the subject of the war and I became gradually convinced that in order to make the position of the…” quote by Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/jane-addams-6111_clear_my-temperament-and-habit-had-always-kept_863164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/jane-addams-6111_clear_my-temperament-and-habit-had-always-kept_863164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/jane-addams-6111_clear_my-temperament-and-habit-had-always-kept_863164.png) > “My temperament and habit had always kept me rather in the middle of the road; in politics as well as in social reform I had been for "the best possible." But now I was pushed far toward the left on the subject of the war and I became gradually convinced that in order to make the position of the pacifist clear it was perhaps necessary that at least a small number of us should be forced into an unequivocal position.” [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes moving from moderate reform to a firmer pacifist stance, urging decisive action. **In simple terms:** She shifted left, believing pacifism needed clear commitment. Key Takeaway Take a firm stand when values demand it. Themes politics social reform pacifism ideology activism Mood reflective determined inspirational Type political ethical motivational When to use this quote - peace movements - policy debates - grassroots organizing - ideological shifts Key Concepts ethical theory social justice political strategy Questions to Reflect On - When should compromise be rejected? - What risks arise from radical shifts? A Different Perspective Balancing idealism with practical compromise can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Convinced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convinced/) [Forced Unequivocal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forced-unequivocal-874793/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Kept Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-middle-874794/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle of the road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-of-the-road/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Pacifist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifist/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Position Pacifist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position-pacifist-874792/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Small numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-numbers/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-reform/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Temperament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temperament/) [Unequivocal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unequivocal/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Gradually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-gradually-874791/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [...warming of the climate system is unequivocal...most of the global average warming over the past 50 years is very likely due to anthropogenic greenhouse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajendra-k-pachauri/warming-of-the-climate-system-is-unequivocal-most-of-the-global/) [Rajendra K. 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Perhaps the most obvious one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/as-the-acceptance-of-democracy-brings-a-certain-life-giving-power-so/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Perhaps nothing is so fraught with significance as the human hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/perhaps-nothing-is-so-fraught-with-significance-as-the-human-hand/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Intellectual life requires for its expansion and manifestation the influences and assimilation of the interests and affections of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/intellectual-life-requires-for-its-expansion-and-manifestation-the/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Life cannot be administered by definite rules and regulations; that wisdom to deal with a man's difficulties comes only through some knowledge of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/life-cannot-be-administered-by-definite-rules-and-regulations-that/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Hospitality still survives among foreigners, although it is buried under false pride among the poorest Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/hospitality-still-survives-among-foreigners-although-it-is-buried/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Keep friends close but keep enemies closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/keep-friends-close-but-keep-enemies-closer/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not merely as a sentiment which desires the well-being of all men, nor yet as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-democracy-not-merely-as-a/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [With all the efforts made by modern society to nurture and educate the young, how stupid it is to permit the mothers of young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/with-all-the-efforts-made-by-modern-society-to-nurture-and-educate/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [If the meanest man in the republic is deprived of his rights,then every man in the republic is deprived of his rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/if-the-meanest-man-in-the-republic-is-deprived-of-his-rights-then/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [If the underdog were always right, one might quite easily try to defend him. 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