"Nearly all the powerful people of this age are unbelievers, the best of them in doubt and misery, the most in plodding hesitation, doing as well as they can, what practical work lies at hand"

This quote by John Ruskin talks to the powerlessness of the unbelievers of his time. He suggests that the most effective people of his age are those who do not think in a higher power, which they are in a state of doubt and suffering. He suggests that the best of them are having a hard time to understand their lives, while the most effective are merely going through the movements of life, doing the best they can with the useful work that lies prior to them. This quote speaks to the concept that those who do not believe in a higher power are frequently left feeling powerless and without direction. It likewise suggests that those who do believe in a greater power might have a higher sense of function and instructions in life. Eventually, this quote speaks with the concept that faith can supply a sense of function and instructions in life, while unbelief can lead to a feeling of powerlessness and confusion.