--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot accept that to be realistic…" description: "\"I cannot accept that to be realistic means to tolerate misery, violence and hate. I do not believe that the hungry man should be treated as subversive ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/scar-arias-8677_abandon_i-cannot-accept-that-to-be-realistic-mea_2345302.jpg" --- # I cannot accept that to be realistic means to tolerate… ![“I cannot accept that to be realistic means to tolerate misery, violence and hate. I do not believe that the hungry man should be treated as subversive for expressing his suffering. I shall never accept that the law can be used to justify tragedy, to keep things as they are, to make us abandon our…” quote by Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/scar-arias-8677_abandon_i-cannot-accept-that-to-be-realistic-mea_2345302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/scar-arias-8677_abandon_i-cannot-accept-that-to-be-realistic-mea_2345302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/scar-arias-8677_abandon_i-cannot-accept-that-to-be-realistic-mea_2345302.jpg) > “I cannot accept that to be realistic means to tolerate misery, violence and hate. I do not believe that the hungry man should be treated as subversive for expressing his suffering. I shall never accept that the law can be used to justify tragedy, to keep things as they are, to make us abandon our ideas of a different world. Law is the path of liberty, and must as such open the way to progress for everyone.” [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realism should not justify suffering; laws must protect human dignity and enable progress for all. **In simple terms:** Law should promote freedom, not accept misery. Key Takeaway Advocate for just laws that protect the vulnerable. Themes justice human rights politics Mood concerned determined Type political activist When to use this quote - policy reform - humanitarian aid - activism - community organizing Key Concepts legal theory ethical governance social equity Questions to Reflect On - What laws perpetuate suffering? - How can citizens influence legal reform? A Different Perspective Legal systems can be slow to change entrenched injustices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Different worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-worlds/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Subversive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subversive/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I shall never accept that the law can be used to justify tragedy, to keep things as they are, to make us abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/i-shall-never-accept-that-the-law-can-be-used-to-justify-tragedy-to/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [You have to find out what's right for you, so it's trial and error. You are going to be all right if you accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-garr/you-have-to-find-out-what-s-right-for-you-so-it-s-trial-and-error-you/) [Teri Garr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-garr/) > [“Just because opportunities present themselves doesn't mean you should accept every one of them. It's not realistic, and it's also not wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/just-because-opportunities-present-themselves-doesn-t-mean-you-should/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [You've got to learn to accept the law of life, and face the fact that we disintegrate slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/you-ve-got-to-learn-to-accept-the-law-of-life-and-face-the-fact-that/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/shall-i-tell-you-the-law-of-god-in-regard-to-the-african-race-if-the/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Wit, without wisdom, is salt without meat; and that is but a comfortless dish to set a hungry man down to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horne/wit-without-wisdom-is-salt-without-meat-and-that-is-but-a-comfortless/) [George Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horne/) > [“Have you seen a hungry man with a gun? Of course not. Such things don't exist. It's like saying, have you ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/have-you-seen-a-hungry-man-with-a-gun-of-course-not-such-things-don-t/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [You’re a goner, Donovan. When a hungry man spends more time lookin’ at his woman than eatin’ , he’s in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/you-re-a-goner-donovan-when-a-hungry-man-spends-more-time-lookin-at/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [As refined fare serves a hungry man as well as and no better than coarser food, the more pretentious artist will not dream of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/as-refined-fare-serves-a-hungry-man-as-well-as-and-no-better-than/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“A hungry man can be a fast learner. When you come to a table with nothing but need, you are grateful for things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yankoski/a-hungry-man-can-be-a-fast-learner-when-you-come-to-a-table-with/) [Mike Yankoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yankoski/) > [Those who know their unworthiness seize grace as a hungry man seizes bread: the self-righteous resent grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/those-who-know-their-unworthiness-seize-grace-as-a-hungry-man-seizes/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“AN HUNGRY MAN IS ALWAYS AN ANGRY MAN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sekou-konneh/an-hungry-man-is-always-an-angry-man/) Sekou Konneh > [A hungry man is an angry one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buchi-emecheta/a-hungry-man-is-an-angry-one/) [Buchi Emecheta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buchi-emecheta/) > [Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/hungry-man-reach-for-the-book-it-is-a-weapon/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [Get out from that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/) [Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/) ## More by Oscar Arias > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [War, and the preparation for war, are the two greatest obstacles to human progress, fostering a vicious cycle of arms buildups, violence and poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/war-and-the-preparation-for-war-are-the-two-greatest-obstacles-to/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [On Dec. 1, 1948, after the triumph of the revolution, which insured the final victory of the will of the people expressed through elections,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/on-dec-1-1948-after-the-triumph-of-the-revolution-which-insured-the/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [“It is essential that justice be done, it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/it-is-essential-that-justice-be-done-it-is-equally-vital-that-justice/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [The best way to perpetuate poverty is by spending on arms and military, and the best way to fight terrorism is by fighting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-best-way-to-perpetuate-poverty-is-by-spending-on-arms-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [India, Pakistan, China, Singapore and South Korea are heavily investing in nuclear arms. Since 21st century is the century of Asia, Asian countries should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/india-pakistan-china-singapore-and-south-korea-are-heavily-investing/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [Peace consists, very largely, in the fact of desiring it with all one's soul. The inhabitants of my small country, Costa Rica, have realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/peace-consists-very-largely-in-the-fact-of-desiring-it-with-all-one-s/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [During my administration, our desire has been to strengthen the civilian spirit of our people. Thus, we have eliminated military ranks and salutes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/during-my-administration-our-desire-has-been-to-strengthen-the/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [Our world is certainly dangerous, but it is made more dangerous, not less, by those who value profits over peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/our-world-is-certainly-dangerous-but-it-is-made-more-dangerous-not/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [It's clear to me that many weapons sales are very short-sighted. The U.S. and other arms-producing countries sell weapons for a variety of reasons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/it-s-clear-to-me-that-many-weapons-sales-are-very-short-sighted-the-u/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [To demilitarize the country means to make a profound decision. It is not enough to change the name of the armed forces. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/to-demilitarize-the-country-means-to-make-a-profound-decision-it-is/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [We seek in Central America not peace alone, not peace to be followed someday by political progress, but peace and democracy, together, indivisible, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/we-seek-in-central-america-not-peace-alone-not-peace-to-be-followed/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [Free trade will go a long way toward alleviating poverty in Central America. Yet trade alone is not enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/free-trade-will-go-a-long-way-toward-alleviating-poverty-in-central/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [Many developing countries continue to be burdened by high percentages of their population living in poverty. Yet, instead of addressing this root cause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/many-developing-countries-continue-to-be-burdened-by-high-percentages/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [If there is no peace in Central America, it will not be because Costa Rica, and myself as president, have not done what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/if-there-is-no-peace-in-central-america-it-will-not-be-because-costa/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) [Explore all 79 Oscar Arias quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) ## More Abandon quotes > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) Kenan Malik > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/every-subjective-phenomenon-is-essentially-connected-with-a-single/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't give up because things are hard, but work harder, when you think of giving up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-give-up-because-things-are-hard-but-work-harder-when-you-think/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I care so deeply about this matter that I'm willing to take on the legal penalties, to sit in this prison cell, to sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-care-so-deeply-about-this-matter-that-i-m-willing-to-take-on-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) Browse all 1,142 Abandon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I cannot accept that to be realistic means to tolerate misery, violence and hate. I do not believe that the hungry man should be treated as subversive for expressing his suffering. I shall never accept that the law can be used to justify tragedy, to keep things as they are, to make us abandon our ideas of a different world. 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