Below are two of my favorite Victor Hugo quotes. I have published them early because they give insight into my thinking process.
“Where there is darkness crimes will be committed. The guilty one is not merely he who commits the crime, but he who caused the darkness.”
This quote points out that if we set up a system that ensures that some of us will fail, those who set up the system are just as guilty as those who are trapped within it.
For example, there are several social theories that attempt to explain at least some aspects of crime. Social Structure theories posit that crime is an acquired behavior because conditions within the environment are pathological. Give the Hugo quote, we can say those who were responsible for creating the pathological environment are just as guilty as those who are forced to live in it.
We will discuss this more in the future.
The second quote I like is found below:
“Change your opinions, keep your principles.”
Too many of us (myself included) make a decision about something and then quit thinking about it. This becomes a problem when new information emerges, but we refuse to look at it…we have made up our minds.
This quote reminds me to keep an open mind when new information presents itself and then reevaluate my stance on an issue with the new information at hand, but based on those enduring principles within us that guide our thinking and behavior.
If I Had The Power 