Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (1900-1945)

And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (1900-1945)

For what sense of tame is this true? I would agree with this understanding:  if I change a living thing so that it can no longer live as it once did, then I have a responsibility to enable it to in its new state. I would say that George and Joy Adamson fulfilled this responsibility in regard to the lioness Elsa when they enabled her to survive in the wild after being raised in captivity. They tamed Elsa, perhaps without realizing what was happening, but then took great efforts to enable her to live on her own, and not just survive but in fact flourish.

John Leonard, critic (1939-2008)

To be capable of embarrassment is the beginning of moral consciousness. Honor grows from qualms. -John Leonard, critic (1939-2008)

I would agree with this, but would add that embarrassment is the lowest level of moral consciousness, and that to grow to higher levels, such as remorse, is certainly not automatic.

Emily Dickinson, poet (1830-1886)

Anger as soon as fed is dead- / 'Tis starving makes it fat. -Emily Dickinson, poet (1830-1886)

I think not. One’s anger may dissipate after being expressed, but it isn’t the venting that causes it to fade but rather a mental turn that follows. Expressing anger may in fact lead to increasing rage in some people some times. On the other hand, nursing one’s anger silently will indeed make it grow, but truly starving it will kill it.