Busybodies Quote by Samuel Gompers
“Doing for people what they can and ought to do for themselves is a dangerous experiment.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address to the American Federation of Labor, 1905
The quote warns that allowing others to do for you what you should do yourself can undermine self-reliance and create dependency.
In simple terms: Letting others do your work harms independence.
Key Takeaway
Encourage personal responsibility.
Themes
self-reliance
responsibility
dependency
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
ethical
political
When to use this quote
- workplace training
- education
- community support
- policy making
Key Concepts
labor rights
individualism
social policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance support with fostering autonomy?
- When does assistance become disempowering?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook systemic barriers that prevent people from acting independently.
![“[Retirement] is a dangerous experiment, and generally ends in either drunkenness or hypochrondriacism.” quote by Erasmus Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b10/erasmus-darwin-17186_dangerous_retirement-is-a-dangerous-experiment-and_142700.jpg)
