Western Thought Quotes by Charles Malik

The promotion of larger ideals, more universal norms, elaborated, not arbitrarily, but according to the nature of things—I mean norms concerning justice and truth, concerning man and his dignity, concerning the place of material goods in human life, concerning the source of political power, concerning freedom of thought and conscience, concerning intercultural interaction and respect, concerning how to meet aggression, whether it comes by external invasion or by internal subversion effectively directed from without—the promotion of some binding understanding among the nations upon these fundamental things is the only hope for peace in the world. (28)

…the spirit of man requires some identity of meaning if it is to live. (26)

…unless Marx and his movement are adequately answered and arrested on every level—militarily, politically, economically, and above all, theoretically and spiritually—the best intentions in the United Nations will always be vitiated. (25)

…However, it can be shown that the tragic conflicts of our times are all rooted in man’s division over his own interpretation of himself—of his origin, his essence, his destiny, his place in the universe–it is evident that in the human rights enterprise these conflicts come to the sharpest focus, and that not between armchair philosophers or well-meaning idealists, but among the responsible representatives of the governments and effective cultures of the whole world. (22)

The spiritual comes into play whenever men seek in freedom something real beyond themselves. To be sure, the grade of spirituality is measured by the object sought, but regardless of this fundamental question of depth and order, wherever men agree in freedom, there is a common bond among them which expresses and engenders spiritual energy. (22)

…the Western World has not so far articulated a sufficiently dynamic message in the economic, social, and cultural field that will fire the imagination of the non-Communist rest of the world. The Communist message in this regard still exerts a strong pull. The problem for the Western world therefore is whether, maintaining and even strengthening its fundamental respect for man and his freedom, which is undoubtedly the most important thing, it can nevertheless summon sufficient boldness of thought and action to convince the rest of the world of its willingness and ability to lead it into an age of plenty, equality and justice. (278)

History, as far as it actually exists, by this I mean as far as it is continuous, consistent, and defined, and thus, as far as it is not adulterated, proves the presence of a definite, ever-present, and effective self. (p. 13)

Yet, persuading and being persuaded can only be achieved in a genuine environment of human freedom. Therefore, we realize that freedom cannot be derived or extracted from without. Neither is it manifested in elements to which it is unfamiliar. It is the trunk and branches; it is the beginning and the end. When there is no freedom from the beginning, freedom cannot magically manifest from nothing at the end. From the beginning, you are either free in the quintessence of your existentiality—hence, every aspect of freedom in your life will burst forth from your authentic freedom—or enslaved in the quintessence of your existentiality—hence, every aspect of obscurity and slavery in your life will burst forth from your authentic slavery. (p. 5)

Political systems vary, but the need of man for truth and salvation will never cease. One therefore must press beyond politics, beyond the sheer framework of freedom, beyond the least common denominator which makes everybody feel comfortable and happy; one, I say, must press beyond these things into the domain of qualitative excellence, where, far from pleasing everybody, one may find one’s self standing absolutely alone. (p. 241)

…the contents of the American word. In elaborating a message, in articulating the word, there are two radically different methods of approach. There is first the method of the least common denominator. Here one endeavors to strike a balance that will please everybody and therefore challenge nobody. According to this method, the American message is that which is common to every shade of opinion throughout the land, that which makes everybody feel perfectly at home. (p. 241)