Quotation
Last reviewed:
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
Leo Tolstoy · Moral and political thought · Modern · 1990s compression
What does it mean?
The short line keeps the jab and drops his argument: that only a moral revolution lasts. A rival reading says the compression is harmless because the idea is his. The idea is close; the sentence is not.
Did Leo Tolstoy really say this?
The library’s label is Misattributed. This exact wording is not in his text. It compresses a longer passage from 'Three Methods of Reform', which is listed separately. Wikiquote traces the variant to a 1999 self-help book.
Where it comes from
A later compression of 'Three Methods of Reform' (1900); the short form is traced to self-help books from the 1990s
Approximate date: 1990s compression.
How to use it
If you want him on your side, quote the longer passage and name the essay.
A mindset reading
A line that sounds like someone is the easiest to fake. Check the wording, not just the idea.
Understand the philosophy
Use the 1900 passage. The poster is a paraphrase wearing quotation marks.
- change
- self
- society
FAQ
What does it mean?
The short line keeps the jab and drops his argument: that only a moral revolution lasts. A rival reading says the compression is harmless because the idea is his. The idea is close; the sentence is not.
Did Leo Tolstoy really say this?
Misattributed. This exact wording is not in his text. It compresses a longer passage from 'Three Methods of Reform', which is listed separately. Wikiquote traces the variant to a 1999 self-help book.
Which work is it in?
A later compression of 'Three Methods of Reform' (1900); the short form is traced to self-help books from the 1990s Approximate date: 1990s compression.