"History has always been a series of pendulum swings, but the individual doesn't have to get caught in that"
- Robert Johnson
About this Quote
This quote by Robert Johnson recommends that history is cyclical, with events and trends swinging backward and forward like a pendulum. Nevertheless, Johnson also suggests that individuals do not need to be caught up in this cycle. Rather, they can take control of their own lives and make their own choices, instead of being swept up in the tide of history. This is an empowering message, encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their own lives and to make their own options, instead of just following the course of history. Johnson's quote motivates us to believe for ourselves and to make our own choices, rather than just following the trends of the past. By doing so, we can develop our own future, rather than being bound by the cycles of history.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"
