“In God's eyes the differences of social position, of
intellect, of culture, of cleanliness, of dress, which different men exhibit,
and all the other rarities and exceptions on which they so fantastically pin
their pride, must be so small as practically quite to vanish; and all that
should remain is the common fact that here we are, a countless multitude of
vessels of life, each of us pent in to peculiar difficulties, with which we
must severally struggle by using whatever of fortitude and goodness we can summon
up. The exercise of the courage, patience, and kindness, must be the
significant portion of the whole business; and the distinctions of position can
only be a manner of diversifying the phenomenal surface upon which these
underground virtues may manifest their effects. At this rate, the deepest human
life is everywhere, is eternal. And, if any human attributes exist only in
particular individuals, they must belong to the mere trapping and decoration of
the surface-show.”—American philosopher and psychologist William James
(1842-1910), “What Makes a Life Significant?", in
Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students
on Some of Life’s Ideals (1889)
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