Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this line in his 1958 book “Stride Toward Freedom,” his account of the 1955-1956 Montgomery bus boycott. The comment was aimed directly at people who, at the time, were urging Black Americans to stop protesting in the name of keeping the peace. His point was clear and precise: A society can appear calm while in fact being profoundly unfair. The distinction King makes is between negative peace — the mere absence of tension or conflict — and positive peace, which requires active, structural justice. For King, silence did not equal harmony, and compliance was not contentment. Real peace demands that people are treated fairly, that systems work equitably, and that dignity and justice are extended to all.

Hindsight, it’s often said, is 20/20. In Daniel Defoe’s 18th-century literary classic “Robinson Crusoe,” the titular protagonist struggles to survive while shipwrecked on a deserted island. As Crusoe learns to adapt to his wild surroundings, he also experiences regret for the choices that led to the circumstances in which he finds himself. But the past, of course, is in the past and cannot be changed. So in the throes of isolation, Crusoe forges ahead, progressing mentally and physically and keeping himself alive for 28 long years. It’s a story of resilience, but, as this quote demonstrates, it’s also a testament to independence, personal accountability, and the capacity for change.