Vivekananda Quote - 1

Why are millions trampled underfoot? Why do people starve who never did anything to cause it? Who is responsible? If they had no hand in it, surely, God would be responsible. Therefore the better explanation is that one is responsible for themisery one suffers. If I set the wheel in motion, I am responsible for the result.And if I can bring misery, I can also stop it. It necessarily follows that we arefree. There is no such thing as fate. There is nothing to compel us. What we havedone, we can undo.

Talk given at Unity Hall, Hartford (Connecticut), USA, on March 8, 1895,as reported in "Hartford Times" (March 11, 1895). Complete Works, 1.320.