Nazis Quote by Milton Mayer
““How is this to be avoided, among ordinary men, even highly educated ordinary men? Frankly, I do not know. I do not see, even now. Many, many times since it all happened I have pondered that pair of great maxims, *Principiis obsta* and *Finem respice*—'Resist the beginnings' and 'Consider the end.' But one must foresee the end in order to resist, or even see, the beginnings. One must foresee the end clearly and certainly and how is this to be done, by ordinary men or even by extraordinary men?””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Unknown, possibly lecture or interview, date unknown
The speaker questions how ordinary people can anticipate outcomes to prevent problems, emphasizing the difficulty of seeing ends before beginnings.
In simple terms: People struggle to predict results before starting actions.
Key Takeaway
Plan with the end in mind.
Themes
uncertainty
planning
human limitation
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal projects
- policy making
- education
- leadership
Key Concepts
foresight
causality
decision making
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we improve foresight in daily decisions?
- What tools help anticipate long‑term consequences?
A Different Perspective
Predicting outcomes is often impossible without experience or data.
