Jonathan Franzen Quotes

And what, incidentally, do you think integrity is? The ability not to pick a watch out of your neighbor's pocket? No, it's not as easy as that. If that were all, I'd say ninety-five percent of humanity were honest, upright men. Only, as you can see, they aren't. Integrity is the ability to stand by an idea.

Integrity is honesty carried through the fibres of the being and the whole mind, into thought as well as action so that the person is complete in honesty. That kind of integrity I put above all else as an essential to leadership.

The just man walks in his integrity

Worthy of honor is he who does no injustice, and more than twofold honor, if he not only does no injustice himself, but hinders others from doing any.

Integrity, like humility, is a quality which vanishes the moment we are conscious of it in ourselves. We see it only in others.

Honesty is telling the truth to ourselves and others. Integrity is living that truth.

You will never win if you don't deal with your work ethically. All that you need to do is to stick to your principles; morals are relative.

Purity in person and in morals is true godliness.

Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant.

The great man does not think beforehand of his words that they may be sincere, nor of his actions that they may be resolute- he simply speaks and does what is right.

Honesty: The ability to resist small temptations.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.

So far as regards their moral character, the Finns have as little cause for reproach as any other people.

It is almost impossible to imagine that any one could be so insensible to the high morality of Mr. Mill's character as to suggest to him any course of conduct that was not entirely upright and consistent.

My future is righteousness.

His conduct still right with his argument wrong.

The more you talk about - and live by - your principles, the harder it will be for others to treat you in a morally ambiguous manner.

Knowledge is but an instrument, which the profligate and the flagitious may use as well as the brave and the just.

Integrity means being whole, unbroken, undivided. It describes a person who has united the different parts of his or her personality, so there is no longer a split in the soul ... For the person of integrity, life may not be easy but it is simple: Figure out what is right and do it. All other considerations come in second.

Our probity is not less at the mercy of fortune than our property.

Integrity means that if our private life were suddenly exposed, we'd have no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. Integrity means that our outward life is consistent with our inner convictions.

By themselves, character and integrity do not accomplish anything. But their absence faults everything else.

Prefer punishment to disgraceful gain; for the one is painful but once, but the other for one's whole life.

There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.