Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr. Quotes on Man (4 Quotes)

Is civilization progress The challenge, I think, is clear and, as clearly, the final answer will be given not by our amassing of knowledge, or by the discoveries of our science, or by the speed of our aircraft, but by the effect of our civilized activities as a whole have upon the quality of our planet's lifethe life of plants and animals as that of men.

Any coward can sit in his home and criticize a pilot for flying into a mountain in a fog. But I would rather, by far, die on a mountainside than in bed. What kind of man would live where there is no daring And is life so dear that we should blame men for dying in adventure Is there a better way to die.

LINDBERGH FLIES ALONE Alone Is he alone at whose right side rides Courage, with Skill within the cockpit and faith upon the left Does solitude surround the brave when Adventure leads the way and Ambition reads the dials Is there no company with him, for whom the air is cleft by Daring and the darkness made light by Emprise True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his crowded cabin but as his airship keeps its course he holds communion with those rare spirits that inspire to intrepidity and by their sustaining potency give strength to arm, resource to mind, content to soul. Alone With what other companions would man fly to whom the choice were given.

I believe that for permanent survival, man must balance science with other qualities of life, qualities of body and spirit as well as those of mind qualities he cannot develop when he lets mechanics and luxury insulate him too greatly from the earth to which he was born.