--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will jump into the river to save two…" description: "\"I will jump into the river to save two brothers or eight cousins.\" — John B. S. Haldane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg" --- # I will jump into the river to save two brothers or eight… ![“I will jump into the river to save two brothers or eight cousins.” quote by John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg) > “I will jump into the river to save two brothers or eight cousins.” [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral duty can extend beyond immediate kin, valuing broader human connections. **In simple terms:** Help others, even distant ones. Key Takeaway Prioritize collective welfare. Themes ethics altruism humanism Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - family emergencies - community service - disaster relief Key Concepts utilitarianism social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Would you sacrifice for strangers? - How do you balance personal and collective obligations? A Different Perspective Personal ties often dominate decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Two brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-brothers/) ## Related quotes > [Would I lay down my life to save my brother? No, but I would to save two brothers or eight cousins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/would-i-lay-down-my-life-to-save-my-brother-no-but-i-would-to-save/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [I grew up in a flat with my brothers and my cousins. My brothers were in the same bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pogba/i-grew-up-in-a-flat-with-my-brothers-and-my-cousins-my-brothers-were/) [Paul Pogba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pogba/) > [If a man is both wise and lucky, he will not make the same mistake twice. But he will make any one of ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lauriston-livermore/if-a-man-is-both-wise-and-lucky-he-will-not-make-the-same-mistake/) [Jesse Lauriston Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lauriston-livermore/) > [Sometimes I live in the country, sometimes I live in town. Sometimes I take a great notion, to jump into the river and drown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lead-belly/sometimes-i-live-in-the-country-sometimes-i-live-in-town-sometimes-i/) [Lead Belly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lead-belly/) > [“Oh, I’m old fashioned, you see,” he said, pushing his dark brown hair out of his eyes, only to have the wind whip the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-horn/oh-i-m-old-fashioned-you-see-he-said-pushing-his-dark-brown-hair-out/) Angela Horn > [When a warrior fights not for himself, but for his brothers, when his most passionately sought goal is neither glory nor his own life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-a-warrior-fights-not-for-himself-but-for-his-brothers-when-his/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“There is an old Arab Bedouin saying: I, against my brothers. I and my brothers against my cousins. I and my brothers and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nafisa-haji/there-is-an-old-arab-bedouin-saying-i-against-my-brothers-i-and-my/) [Nafisa Haji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nafisa-haji/) > [I didn't grow up with any brothers, but I have my cousins, and I had my good friends, so I know what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cabral/i-didn-t-grow-up-with-any-brothers-but-i-have-my-cousins-and-i-had-my/) [Richard Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cabral/) > [Education in my family was not merely emphasized, it was our raison d'être. Virtually all of our aunts and uncles had Ph.D.s in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-chu/education-in-my-family-was-not-merely-emphasized-it-was-our-raison-d/) [Steven Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-chu/) > [There were two brothers called Both and Either; perceiving Either was a good, understanding, busy fellow, and Both a silly fellow and good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/there-were-two-brothers-called-both-and-either-perceiving-either-was/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“From almost nothing, France in four years built up an aircraft industry that employed nearly 200,000 people and produced some 70,000 planes. Britain built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/from-almost-nothing-france-in-four-years-built-up-an-aircraft/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [I've got two brothers and two sisters, so there's five of us and we're all very close, which is cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-james/i-ve-got-two-brothers-and-two-sisters-so-there-s-five-of-us-and-we-re/) [Theo James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-james/) > [I've been home-schooled since I was in the fifth grade, mainly because I had two brothers who were acting. We were from Kansas but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-schmidt/i-ve-been-home-schooled-since-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-mainly-because/) [Kevin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-schmidt/) > [“But—she mentioned three young women. I blink at her in confusion, wondering if I heard her wrong. “And the third?” Aunt Vyvian’s mouth grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-forest/but-she-mentioned-three-young-women-i-blink-at-her-in-confusion/) [Laurie Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-forest/) > [I would love 'Aankhen 2' to happen. I would have Govinda and I play these two brothers and having kids who can take it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunky-pandey/i-would-love-aankhen-2-to-happen-i-would-have-govinda-and-i-play/) [Chunky Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunky-pandey/) ## More by John B. S. Haldane > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Shelley and Keats were the last English poets who were at all up to date in their chemical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/shelley-and-keats-were-the-last-english-poets-who-were-at-all-up-to/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A discussion between Haldane and a friend began to take a predictable turn. The friend said with a sigh, 'It's no use going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-discussion-between-haldane-and-a-friend-began-to-take-a-predictable/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The extreme socialists desire to run every nation as a single business concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-extreme-socialists-desire-to-run-every-nation-as-a-single/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [To the biologist the problem of socialism appears largely as a problem of size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/to-the-biologist-the-problem-of-socialism-appears-largely-as-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A fairly bright boy is far more intelligent and far better company than the average adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-fairly-bright-boy-is-far-more-intelligent-and-far-better-company/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Capitalism, though it may not always give the scientific worker a living wage, will always protect him, as being one of the geese which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/capitalism-though-it-may-not-always-give-the-scientific-worker-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-are-400-000-species-of-beetles-on-this-planet-but-only-8-000/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-is-no-great-invention-from-fire-to-flying-which-has-not-been/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Man armed with science is like a baby with a box of matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/man-armed-with-science-is-like-a-baby-with-a-box-of-matches/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There can be no truce between science and religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-can-be-no-truce-between-science-and-religion/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Science is vastly more stimulating to the imagination than the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/science-is-vastly-more-stimulating-to-the-imagination-than-the/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The future will be no primrose path. It will have its own problems. Some will be the secular problems of the past, giant flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-future-will-be-no-primrose-path-it-will-have-its-own-problems/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. "What inference," asked the latter, "might one draw about the nature of God from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/haldane-was-engaged-in-discussion-with-an-eminent-theologian-what/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon-the-late-war-is-only-an/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) [Explore all 65 John B. S. Haldane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## More Brother quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) Spencer Moody > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I will jump into the river to save two brothers or eight cousins.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John B. S. Haldane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-brothers-or-eight-cousins/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brother" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-brothers-or-eight-cousins/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/john-b-s-haldane-10480_brother_i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-b_1841930.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I will jump into the river to save two brothers or eight cousins.” — John B. S. Haldane", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John B. S. Haldane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I will jump into the river...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-brothers-or-eight-cousins/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/i-will-jump-into-the-river-to-save-two-brothers-or-eight-cousins/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```