“They are man's and they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance and this girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree; but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.”
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About this quote
They are man's and they cling to me — a blunt call to recognize inherited dangers named Ignorance and Want. The passage points a finger: ignore them at your own risk, because Ignorance carries consequences that compound unless actively erased. Face what you don’t know, stop excusing shortage of effort, and take concrete steps to learn and provide. Ask yourself which hand you keep feeding: habit and neglect, or discipline and growth?
When to use it
- At a team meeting: cite the line to push colleagues to address skill gaps rather than blaming circumstances.
- In a tough coaching session: use it to tell someone that blaming lack of time won’t fix poor results—learn the missing skills instead.
- On social media when calling out systemic neglect: use the passage to demand action on education and basic needs, not just sympathy.
- In personal reflection: read it when you notice procrastination and use it to commit to one concrete learning step today.