"Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect"
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
About this Quote
This quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau speaks to the idea that gratefulness is something that must be revealed, yet not something that can be required. It is an ethical commitment to show recognition for the generosity of others, yet it is not something that can be considered granted. Appreciation is a voluntary act of generosity as well as should not be expected as a right. Rousseau's quote urges us to be mindful of the compassion of others and also to reveal our appreciation for it. It is a tip that we should not take the generosity of others for given, however rather reveal our gratitude for it. Thankfulness is a way of showing respect and also admiration for individuals in our lives, and it is something that must be expressed openly and without assumption.
"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us"
"If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it"
"There are minds so impatient of inferiority that their gratitude is a species of revenge, and they return benefits, not because recompense is a pleasure, but because obligation is a pain"
