Mahatma Gandhi - An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind

the Daily Quote

Welcome to The Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I’m your host, Andrew McGivern, and today is October 2nd...

It’s International Day of Non-Violence, which is inspired by and fittingly falls on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a man who lived and breathed the principles of peace and non-violence. This day serves as a reminder of the incredible power that can be harnessed when we choose compassion over conflict. And hey, given all the things that drive us a little crazy—like traffic jams or the coffee machine breaking down when we need it most—it's a good day to remember that we don't always need to let our tempers get the best of us. Sometimes, the most powerful reaction is no reaction at all.

In honor of this day, I’ve chosen a quote from Gandhi himself. and no... it's not the one you’ve probably heard a thousand times. No, today's quote is:

“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.”

Let that one sink in for a moment. "An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind." It’s such a simple statement, but it carries a depth that could really change how we approach so many situations in life.

Think about it. When we retaliate, when we answer hurt with hurt, we’re not actually solving anything. We're just perpetuating a cycle that eventually comes back to us. If every slight or offense were met with equal retaliation, we'd end up living in a world filled with anger and, well... a lot of patchy vision.

Gandhi believed that the strength to forgive or to turn away from violence wasn’t a sign of weakness, but of incredible inner strength. And sure, when someone cuts you off in traffic, the temptation to lay on the horn and invent new curse words is strong. But what if you didn’t? What if you just let it go, and continued on with your day in peace?

In a world that often feels loud, reactive, and a little too fast-paced, non-violence is like hitting the pause button. It gives you a chance to think before acting, to choose empathy over ego, and in doing so, to contribute to a world that's a little less... well, blind.

On this International Day of Non-Violence, maybe the best thing you can do is ask yourself: where in your life can you offer a bit more grace? Is there someone you could forgive today? Or maybe just some small annoyance you could let slide? After all, non-violence isn’t just about grand gestures of peace; it’s in the everyday choices that build up to something much bigger.

So, as you go about your day today, remember Gandhi’s words: “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” You don’t have to fight every battle or right every wrong. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to step back, take a breath, and choose peace over conflict.

I’m Andrew McGivern, and thanks for joining me on The Daily Quote. I’ll be back tomorrow with another quote to inspire your day. Until then, take care of yourself and others – and maybe, let a few things slide.