There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root, and it may be that he who bestows the largest amount of time and money on the needy is doing the most by his mode of life to produce that misery which he strives in vain to relieve.
Credit: Henry David Thoreau

Comment: What is the meaning of "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root"?
Source: Walden (chapter 1: Economy)
Books: Henry David Thoreau (1)
Quotations: Henry David Thoreau (3)
Blog Posts: Henry David Thoreau (1)
Tags: better world (43) | evil (6) | Henry David Thoreau (10) | philanthropy (1)
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Online Knowledge Café: Conversational Leadership — Beyond Knowledge Management
Wednesday 17th March 2026, 14:00 - 15:30 London time
Knowledge Management gives us access to information, but it does not decide or act. In this Knowledge Café, we will explore how Conversational Leadership builds on KM by strengthening shared reasoning, judgement, and agency. Join us to examine how we think together when knowledge alone is not enough.
This quotation is part of a blook on Conversational Leadership. It is one of many quotations that have influenced my thinking on the subject. Parts of this blook have restricted access. You may browse the pages open to you, but you will need to register and be approved before you can login and access the full site. When you register, you may also sign-up to receive a quotation of the day by email.