--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human spirit glows from that small…" description: "\"“The human spirit glows from that small inner light of doubt whether we are right, while those who believe with complete certainty that they possess th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png" --- # The human spirit glows from that small inner light of… ![“The human spirit glows from that small inner light of doubt whether we are right, while those who believe with complete certainty that they possess the right are dark inside and darken the world outside with cruelty, pain, and injustice” quote by Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png) > ““The human spirit glows from that small inner light of doubt whether we are right, while those who believe with complete certainty that they possess the right are dark inside and darken the world outside with cruelty, pain, and injustice”” [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑doubt keeps the spirit alive; absolute certainty breeds darkness and cruelty. **In simple terms:** Doubt fuels humility; certainty can cause harm. Key Takeaway Embrace humility, question certainty. Themes humility certainty morality Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - activism - personal growth Key Concepts psychology of belief ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - How does doubt protect empathy? - When does certainty become harmful? A Different Perspective Absolute certainty can blind and oppress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-inside-455134/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Human spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-spirit/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Inner light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-light/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Light Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-doubt-927411/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit Glows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-glows-6068718/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Where there is uncertainty, I shall bring light Where there is doubt, I shall sow faith Where there is shame, I shall point atonement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/litany-of-devotion/where-there-is-uncertainty-i-shall-bring-light-where-there-is-doubt-i/) [Litany of Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/litany-of-devotion/) > [“My hole is warm and full of light. Yes, full of light. I doubt if there is a brighter spot in all New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/my-hole-is-warm-and-full-of-light-yes-full-of-light-i-doubt-if-there/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“The darkness is not so empty as you imagine. Think of attending a party at night, in a house brightly lit with candles. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-beckett/the-darkness-is-not-so-empty-as-you-imagine-think-of-attending-a/) [Galen Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-beckett/) > [Mike and I are always drawn to the idea that there is light and dark inside every being, rather than the old two-dimensional trope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-konietzko/mike-and-i-are-always-drawn-to-the-idea-that-there-is-light-and-dark/) [Bryan Konietzko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-konietzko/) > [“It went so dark inside of me. And it was dark outside, too, in those miserable after-Christmas months: cold and wet and icy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-marnell/it-went-so-dark-inside-of-me-and-it-was-dark-outside-too-in-those/) [Cat Marnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-marnell/) > [We've all got both light and dark inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ve-all-got-both-light-and-dark-inside-of-us-what-matters-is-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We've all got both light and dark inside of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafique-ahmed/we-ve-all-got-both-light-and-dark-inside-of-us/) [Shafique Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafique-ahmed/) > [“We all got both LIGHT & DARK inside us. What matter is the part, We choose to act on. That's who we really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/we-all-got-both-light-dark-inside-us-what-matter-is-the-part-we/) [Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/) > [“We all have light and dark inside us, what matters is the path we decide to take.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/we-all-have-light-and-dark-inside-us-what-matters-is-the-path-we/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“We all have a dark side, Reggie. You. Me. The old lady down the street. Henry. Everyone. We make the choice not to embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/we-all-have-a-dark-side-reggie-you-me-the-old-lady-down-the-street/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [It was as dark as the inside of a cabinet minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/it-was-as-dark-as-the-inside-of-a-cabinet-minister/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [I sit in the dark. And it would be hard to figure out which is worse; the dark inside, or the darkness out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/i-sit-in-the-dark-and-it-would-be-hard-to-figure-out-which-is-worse/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [Dont get too close, its dark inside. its where my demons hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-get-too-close-its-dark-inside-its-where-my-demons-hide/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you feel my heat, look into my eyes; its where my demons hide. Dont get too close; its dark inside. Its where my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imagine-dragons/when-you-feel-my-heat-look-into-my-eyes-its-where-my-demons-hide-dont/) [Imagine Dragons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imagine-dragons/) > [“Outside it was dark, but not as dark as it was inside of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/outside-it-was-dark-but-not-as-dark-as-it-was-inside-of-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Saul Alinsky > [The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-threat-is-usually-more-terrifying-than-the-thing-itself/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The very first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-very-first-radical-known-to-man-who-rebelled-against-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [I've never joined any organization - not even the ones I've organized myself. I prize my own independence too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/i-ve-never-joined-any-organization-not-even-the-ones-i-ve-organized/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Everybody owned stock in the Capone mob; in a way, he was a public benefactor. I remember one time when he arrived at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/everybody-owned-stock-in-the-capone-mob-in-a-way-he-was-a-public/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [First rule of change is controversy. You can't get away from it for the simple reason all issues are controversial. Change means movement, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/first-rule-of-change-is-controversy-you-can-t-get-away-from-it-for/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Radicals, on the other hand, want to advance from the jungle of laissez-faire capitalism to a world worthy of the name of human civilization.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/radicals-on-the-other-hand-want-to-advance-from-the-jungle-of-laissez/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/pick-the-target-freeze-it-personalize-it-and-polarize-it-cut-off-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The first step in community organization is community disorganization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-first-step-in-community-organization-is-community-disorganization/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Power just goes to two poles — to those who've got money, and those who've got people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/power-just-goes-to-two-poles-to-those-who-ve-got-money-and-those-who/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The establishment can accept being screwed, but not being laughed at](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-establishment-can-accept-being-screwed-but-not-being-laughed-at/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [To the organizer, compromise is a key and beautiful word. It is always present in the pragmatics of operation... If you start with nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/to-the-organizer-compromise-is-a-key-and-beautiful-word-it-is-always/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/power-is-not-only-what-you-have-but-what-the-enemy-thinks-you-have/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The standards of judgment must be rooted in the whys and wherefores of life as it is lived, the world as it is, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-standards-of-judgment-must-be-rooted-in-the-whys-and-wherefores/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Organized business has assumed that greater profits would be pretty much of a cure-all, and it has to a major extent ignored the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/organized-business-has-assumed-that-greater-profits-would-be-pretty/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-conviction-that-all-the-angels-are-on/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) [Explore all 141 Saul Alinsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The human spirit glows from that small inner light of doubt whether we are right, while those who believe with complete certainty that they possess the right are dark inside and darken the world outside with cruelty, pain, and injustice”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Saul Alinsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-inner-light-of-doubt-whether/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-inner-light-of-doubt-whether/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/saul-alinsky-3048_believe_the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-i_1597780.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The human spirit glows from that small inner light of doubt whether we are right, while those who believe…” — Saul Alinsky", "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": "Saul Alinsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The human spirit glows from that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-inner-light-of-doubt-whether/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-human-spirit-glows-from-that-small-inner-light-of-doubt-whether/#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 } } ] } ```