--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I refuse to accept the idea that man is…" description: "\"I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. I re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/martin-luther-106_accepting_i-refuse-to-accept-the-idea-that-man-is_997243.jpg" --- # I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and… ![“I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and…” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/martin-luther-106_accepting_i-refuse-to-accept-the-idea-that-man-is_997243.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/martin-luther-106_accepting_i-refuse-to-accept-the-idea-that-man-is_997243.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/martin-luther-106_accepting_i-refuse-to-accept-the-idea-that-man-is_997243.jpg) > “I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.” [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings can shape their destiny and work toward peace despite pervasive conflict. **In simple terms:** People can influence events and strive for peace. Key Takeaway Act to create change and foster unity. Themes agency peace social justice hope Mood determined optimistic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - activism - community building - education - policy making Key Concepts free will collective action humanism Questions to Reflect On - How can you contribute to peace today? - What obstacles must you overcome? A Different Perspective Change is slow and faces resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Daybreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daybreak/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Flotsam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flotsam/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Midnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midnight/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-refuse-to-accept-the-view-that-mankind-is-so-tragically-bound-to/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I refuse to accept the view . . . that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-refuse-to-accept-the-view-that-the-bright-daybreak-of-peace-and/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-refuse-to-accept-the-idea-that-man-is-mere-flotsam-and-jetsam-in-2/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Unto him who is able to keep us from falling, and lift us from the dark to the bright mountain of hope, from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/unto-him-who-is-able-to-keep-us-from-falling-and-lift-us-from-the/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Remember if you write, write, write, you can never be wrong."---Stephanie Skeem Author of Flotsam”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-skeem/remember-if-you-write-write-write-you-can-never-be-wrong-stephanie/) [Stephanie Skeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-skeem/) > [There are tons of things in your home and life that you don't use, need, or even particularly want. They just came into your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/there-are-tons-of-things-in-your-home-and-life-that-you-don-t-use/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [The present is filled with flotsam and irony and chaos and disorder in all arenas, political and sociological. I think we have to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/the-present-is-filled-with-flotsam-and-irony-and-chaos-and-disorder/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [The work saved me. I clung to it like flotsam in a boiling sea. It was the only solitary sport that I ever played,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rheta-grimsley-johnson/the-work-saved-me-i-clung-to-it-like-flotsam-in-a-boiling-sea-it-was/) Rheta Grimsley Johnson > [The loss of transcendence has left in its wake the flotsam of distrustful, cynical Christians, angry at a capricious God, and the jetsam of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-loss-of-transcendence-has-left-in-its-wake-the-flotsam-of/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [I think all writers are always collecting characters as we go along. Not just characters of course, we're collecting EVERYTHING. Bits and pieces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-sokoloff/i-think-all-writers-are-always-collecting-characters-as-we-go-along/) Alexandra Sokoloff > [Change is legitimate and inevitable, for our language is a mighty river, picking up silt and flotsam here and discarding it there, but growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/change-is-legitimate-and-inevitable-for-our-language-is-a-mighty/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [Do you ever think if people heard our conversations they'd lock us up?" All the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mass/do-you-ever-think-if-people-heard-our-conversations-they-d-lock-us-up/) [Wendy Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mass/) > [Hitler appeared, a man with limited intellectual abilities and unfit for any useful work, bursting with envy and bitterness against all whom circumstance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/hitler-appeared-a-man-with-limited-intellectual-abilities-and-unfit/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“How symbolic the smallest things can be, the flotsam and jetsam of lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-blow/how-symbolic-the-smallest-things-can-be-the-flotsam-and-jetsam-of/) Richard Blow > [When you once attribute effects to the will of a personal God, you have let in a lot of little gods and evils -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/when-you-once-attribute-effects-to-the-will-of-a-personal-god-you/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More by Martin Luther > [“It was easy for you to say these things, since you either knew you were not writing to Luther, but for the general public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-was-easy-for-you-to-say-these-things-since-you-either-knew-you/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [If you could understand a single grain of wheat you would die of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-you-could-understand-a-single-grain-of-wheat-you-would-die-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“God made man out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-made-man-out-of-nothing-and-as-long-as-we-are-nothing-he-can-make/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“But the truth will win out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/but-the-truth-will-win-out/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [God wants us to pray, and he wants to hear our prayers-not because we are worthy, but because he is merciful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-wants-us-to-pray-and-he-wants-to-hear-our-prayers-not-because-we/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-works-of-the-righteous-would-be-mortal-sins-if-they-would-not-be/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/do-not-suppose-that-abuses-are-eliminated-by-destroying-the-object/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:28”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/for-we-maintain-that-a-man-is-justified-by-faith-apart-from-observing/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [There are only two days on my calendar... today and the day of judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/there-are-only-two-days-on-my-calendar-today-and-the-day-of-judgment/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) [Explore all 1,292 Martin Luther quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. 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