In this possibly terminal phase of human existence, democracy and freedom are more than just ideals to be valued - they may be essential to survival.
Noam Chomsky

We humans are an extremely important manifestation of the replication bomb, because it is through us - through our brains, our symbolic culture and our technology - that the explosion may proceed to the next stage and reverberate through deep space.
Richard Dawkins

There may be fairies at the bottom of the garden. There is no evidence for it, but you can't prove that there aren't any, so shouldn't we be agnostic with respect to fairies?
Richard Dawkins

There are historic situations in which refusal to defend the inheritance of a civilization, however imperfect, against tyranny and aggression may result in consequences even worse than war.
Reinhold Niebuhr

I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every social advance as a first step toward revolution, and that they may absolutely refuse to move at all.
Alexis de Tocqueville

In America the majority raises formidable barriers around the liberty of opinion; within these barriers an author may write what he pleases, but woe to him if he goes beyond them.
Alexis de Tocqueville

The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.
Alexis de Tocqueville

May we not succumb to thoughts of violence and revenge today, but rather to thoughts of mercy and compassion. We are to love our enemies that they might be returned to their right minds.
Marianne Williamson

We may have bad weather in Ireland, but the sun shines in the hearts of the people and that keeps us all warm.
Marianne Williamson

The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Everything in the world may be endured except continual prosperity.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

It may be that the satisfaction I need depends on my going away, so that when I've gone and come back, I'll find it at home.
Rumi

It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good.
Margaret Mead

To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.
Plutarch

Do not do unto others as you expect they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.
George Bernard Shaw

Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness.
George Bernard Shaw

Nothing is worth doing unless the consequences may be serious.
George Bernard Shaw

What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.
George Bernard Shaw

If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.
George Bernard Shaw