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“I recalled a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., called “The Drum Major Instinct.” In it, he talks about how, deep down, we all want to be first, celebrated for our greatness; we all want “to lead the parade.” He goes on to point out that such selfish impulses can be reconciled by aligning that quest for greatness with more selfless aims. You can strive to be first in service, first in love.”
― A Promised Land
― A Promised Land
“The truth is, I’ve never been a big believer in destiny. I worry that it encourages resignation in the down-and-out and complacency among the powerful. I suspect that God’s plan, whatever it is, works on a scale too large to admit our mortal tribulations; that in a single lifetime, accidents and happenstance determine more than we care to admit; and that the best we can do is to try to align ourselves with what we feel is right and construct some meaning out of our confusion, and with grace and nerve play at each moment the hand that we’re dealt.”
― A Promised Land
― A Promised Land
“I’d met my share of highly credentialed, high-IQ morons”
― A Promised Land
― A Promised Land
“But you don’t choose the time. The time chooses you. Either you seize what may turn out to be the only chance you have, or you decide you’re willing to live with the knowledge that the chance has passed you by.”
― A Promised Land
― A Promised Land
“Here’s the thing,” I would say. “Most people, wherever they’re from, whatever they look like, are looking for the same thing. They’re not trying to get filthy rich. They don’t expect someone else to do what they can do for themselves. “But they do expect that if they’re willing to work, they should be able to find a job that supports a family. They expect that they shouldn’t go bankrupt just because they get sick. They expect that their kids should be able to get a good education, one that prepares them for this new economy, and they should be able to afford college if they’ve put in the effort. They want to be safe, from criminals or terrorists. And they figure that after a lifetime of work, they should be able to retire with dignity and respect.”
― A Promised Land
― A Promised Land
Dave’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Dave’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
505 books
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161 friends
1,313 books
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227 friends
642 books
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78 friends
935 books
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85 friends
5 books
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39 friends
300 books
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21 friends
119 books
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103 friends
4,590 books
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155 friends
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Favorite Genres
Art, Biography, Business, Comics, Contemporary, Fiction, Graphic novels, History, Science, Travel, and Nonfiction
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