Ambition Quote by Russell Kirk
“...ambition without pious restraint must end in failure, often involving in its ruin that beautiful reverence which solaces common men for the obscurity and poverty of their lot.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Conservative Mind, 1953
Unrestrained ambition without moral limits leads to ruin, while reverence comforts the ordinary amid hardship.
In simple terms: Blind ambition harms; humility helps.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with moral restraint.
Themes
ambition
morality
humility
Mood
cautionary
reflective
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- political leadership
- career planning
- personal goals
- societal change
Key Concepts
philosophy
political theory
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- Can ambition be ethical?
- What role does reverence play in society?
A Different Perspective
Idealism may clash with practicality.
![“Men are put into this world, he [the enlightened conservative] realizes, to struggle, to suffer, to contend against the evil that is in their neighbors and in themselves, and to aspire toward the triumph of Love. They are put into this world to live like men, and to die like men. He seeks to…” quote by Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f1/russell-kirk-6909_love_men-are-put-into-this-world-he-the-enlig_208424.jpg)
