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Schweitzer Quotation Help (Read 3237 times)
ckellogg
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Oakton, Virginia, USA
Schweitzer Quotation Help
21. Feb 2008 at 13:35
 
I'm hoping someone can help me locate a Schweitzer quotation.  Many years ago I saw a bumper sticker on a car, the quote was attributed to Albert Schweitzer.  I have searched for years to locate it again in vain.  The gist of it was "Force yourself to think for a moment about those things which are too terrible to look upon".  The 'think' and 'look' ideas may have been the other way around.  This quote has dogged me for years now.  

Thanks so much,

Christine
Oakton, Virginia, USA (near Washington, DC)
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ckellogg
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Oakton, Virginia, USA
Re: Schweitzer Quotation Help
Reply #1 - 29. Feb 2008 at 23:36
 
I think I found the quote, although I don't know the source of the text.  I saw it at http://thinkexist.com/quotation/think_occasionally_of_the_suffering_of_which_you..., and the quote they have is "Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight".  

Can anyone help me locate the source?

Thank you,

Christine (I'm the original poster)
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percy
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Re: Schweitzer Quotation Help
Reply #2 - 30. Apr 2008 at 21:00
 
Hello Christine,
The quotation from Albert Schweitzer's books,that I could find, which come nearest to the content of the one you seek, (though expressed in negative terminology) is translated by C. T. Campion in "Civilization and Ethics", page 222, as: "No one must shut his eyes and regard as non-existent the sufferings of which he spares himself the sight." It appears in the chapter near the end called "The Ethic of Reverence for Life" and is in the section where he talks about the relationship of man to other living creatures.

My own more literal translation from the German would be: "No one should be allowed to close his eyes and consider the suffering, the sight of which he thereby avoids, as unseen."  

The sentence you quote may well exist amongst Schweitzer's writings, but I cannot find it in that form.

I hope that helps a bit.

Percy Mark
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ckellogg
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Oakton, Virginia, USA
Re: Schweitzer Quotation Help
Reply #3 - 30. Apr 2008 at 23:33
 
Hi Percy - thank you for the information.  I find your translation to be deeper in meaning than that of the bumper sticker which I've found.  Since I've put it on my car I've had several meaningful reactions to it.  This is interesting.

Christine
Oakton, VA
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