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A Quote on Society

By
Real Estate Agent with Lisa Von Domek Team TX License #0552989

This election year promises to be one of the most debated (and heated)
in our history.  Regardless of which party you support, there seems
to be an overwhelming feeling by voters that the politicians have their
own agenda and their own vision of Utopia.  This quote by Elihu Root
seems as timely now as it was in his day:

 

   "All my life people have been coming to me with
    plans to make over society and its institutions.
    Many of these plans have seemed to me good.
    Some of them have been excellent.  All of them
    have had one fatal defect.  They have assumed
    that human nature would behave in a certain
    way.  If it would behave in that way almost any
    one of these plans would work, but if human
    nature would behave in that way not any of
    the p
lans would be necessary, for in that case
    society and it institutions would naturally
    reform themselves to perfection."

    Elihu Root

(click photo for Wikipedia link for more information on this gentleman)

Comments (13)

Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

Very wise words Lisa Von Domek it also lends to the truth that you can not legislate moral behavior.

Feb 11, 2016 04:21 AM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Most politicians have an agenda of their own.  If not when first elected, when they run for re-election

Feb 11, 2016 04:36 AM
Joanna Cohlan
Fresh Eyes For Your Home - Chappaqua, NY
Designing, Decorating & Staging Westchester Homes

I don't think that any politician today would say that there is the possibility of a utopia - we learned that it didn't work from the "Experiments" in the USSR and China.  But we are way too diverse in this country as a country of immigrants to ever have been able to speak with one voice.

Feb 11, 2016 05:44 AM
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

Good evening Lisa,

A great quote and shows in recent events how a few will try to upset the apple cart.

Make yourself an astonishing day.

Feb 11, 2016 06:31 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Lisa excellent quote to share.  There is no magical formula to control human nature.  The more some have tried, the more they have failed.

Feb 11, 2016 07:57 AM
Ellen Caruso
Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty - Glen Head, NY

Lisa, I work as a poll coordinator on the various election days, it's good to be recognized in the community in this way. I can't give any opinion on the election, but it nice to see the young and the old who still care to vote.

Feb 11, 2016 09:12 AM
Joan Dickie
Keller Williams Premier Realty - La Crosse, WI
Keller Williams Premier Realty

Great quote.  Thanks for sharing with it with us.  It is so true.

Feb 11, 2016 09:18 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

That proves that history does repeat itself.  This is going to be an interesting campaign

Feb 11, 2016 09:34 AM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Lisa, it is a constant barrage of spiteful comments, and rarely do they even talk about THEIR platform, and is it true?

Feb 11, 2016 10:13 PM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Hi Lisa - those words ring true today.  We can't create Utopia.  Our free society and free markets has worked better than any other system.

Feb 12, 2016 04:10 AM
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Hi Lisa Von Domek ,  Men and Women were created with a will of their own....

and they intend on using it!

Feb 12, 2016 06:12 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Lisa

Far to many politicians put themselves and their party ahead of the country . . . . Sad but true.

Good luck and and success.

Lou Ludwig

Feb 12, 2016 11:44 AM
Marco Giancola
Beachfront Realty - Miami Beach, FL
Realtor (305)608-1922, Miami Beach Florida

Hey Lisa-I am already so sick of it all. I honestly see no "savior" in any of the canidates some are just worse than others. 

Feb 13, 2016 05:55 AM