Marquis de Flers Robert and Arman de Caillavet on Democracy
“Democracy is the name we give the people whenever we need them.” Marquis de Flers Robert and Arman de Caillavet
R. Buckminster Fuller on Science
“Everything you’ve learned in school as ‘obvious’ becomes less and less obvious as you begin to study the universe. For example, there are no solids in the universe. There’s not even a suggestion of a solid. There are no absolute continuums. There are no surfaces. There are no straight lines.” R. Buckminster Fuller US architect & engineer (1895 – 1983)
Voltaire on Freedom
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Voltaire, (Attributed); originated in “The Friends of Voltaire”, 1906, by S. G. Tallentyre (Evelyn Beatrice Hall) French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 – 1778)
Jean Cocteau on Movies
“A film is a petrified fountain of thought.” Jean Cocteau
William James on Society
“A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices.” William James US Pragmatist philosopher & psychologist (1842 – 1910)
Elbert Hubbard on Friendship
“A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.” Elbert Hubbard
Pope John Paul II on Science and Faith
“Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.” Pope John Paul II
Elbert Hubbard on Work & Technology
“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” Elbert Hubbard
William S. Burroughs on Politics and Science Fiction
“After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say ‘I want to see the manager.’ “ William S. Burroughs US author (1914 – 1997)
H. L. Mencken Cynical Quote
“The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” H. L. Mencken US editor (1880 – 1956)
Honoré de Balzac on Art
“If we could but paint with the hand what we see with the eye.” Honoré de Balzac
Fred Allen on Hollywood
“You can take all the sincerity in Hollywood, place it in the navel of a firefly and still have room enough for three caraway seeds and a producer’s heart.” Fred Allen US radio comedian (1894 – 1956)
Ronald Reagan on Politics
“I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.” Ronald Reagan 40th president of US (1911 – 2004)
John F. Kennedy on Forgiveness
“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” John F. Kennedy
Leo Tolstoy on Change
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Leo Tolstoy Russian mystic & novelist (1828 – 1910)
Thomas à Kempis on Love
“Love makes everything that is heavy light.”
Lucille S. Harper Cynical Quote
“The nice thing about egotists is that they don’t talk about other people.” Lucille S. Harper
Norman Vincent Peale on Success
“How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself – so always think positively.” Norman Vincent Peale
Edsger Dijkstra on Computers
“Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.” Edsger Dijkstra
Ralph Waldo Emerson on Thoughts
“In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self Reliance” US essayist & poet (1803 – 1882)
Ellen Goodman on Journalism
“In journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.” Ellen Goodman American journalist (1941 – )
Sir Alec Issigonis Funny Quote
“A camel is a horse designed by a committee” Sir Alec Issigonis
Doug Larson Cynical Quote
“A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience.” Doug Larson
Voltaire on Beliefs
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 – 1778)
Mogens Jallberg on Democracy vs. Feudalism
“In democracy it’s your vote that counts; In feudalism it’s your count that votes.” Mogens Jallberg
Francois de La Rochefoucauld on Faults
“We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld French author & moralist (1613 – 1680)
Helen Keller on Comfort
“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” Helen Keller US blind & deaf educator (1880 – 1968)
Proverbs 15:17 on Love
“A simple meal with love is better than a feast where there is hatred.” Proverbs 15:17
John Kenneth Galbraith Cynical Quote
“If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.” John Kenneth Galbraith US (Canadian-born) administrator & economist (1908 – 2006)
Isaac Newton on Science
“I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and little, into a full and clear light.” Isaac Newton English mathematician & physicist (1642 – 1727)
Napoleon Bonaparte on Politics
“He who knows how to flatter also knows how to slander.” Napoleon Bonaparte
Albert Einstein on Science & Religion
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” Albert Einstein
R. Buckminster Fuller on Life
“Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them.” R. Buckminster Fuller US architect & engineer (1895 – 1983)
Antoine de Saint-Exupery on Imagination
“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
J. R. R. Tolkien on Motivation
“Little by little, one travels far.” J. R. R. Tolkien British scholar & fantasy novelist (1892 – 1973)
Anatole France on Law
“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.” Anatole France, The Red Lily, 1894, chapter 7 French novelist (1844 – 1924)
Hob Broun on Realism
“Realism… has no more to do with reality than anything else.” Hob Broun
Samuel Goldwyn on Writing
“I don’t think anyone should write their autobiography until after they’re dead.” Samuel Goldwyn US (Polish-born) movie producer (1882 – 1974)
Christopher Columbus on Exploration
“Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.” Christopher Columbus
Laurence J. Peter on Ignorance
“Against logic there is no armor like ignorance.” Laurence J. Peter US educator & writer (1919 – 1988)
Enrico Fermi on Knowledge
“It is no good to try to stop knowledge from going forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge.” Enrico Fermi US (Italian-born) physicist (1901 – 1954)
Jodie Foster Wisdom Quote
“Normal is not something to aspire to, it’s something to get away from.” Jodie Foster US movie actress (1962 – )
Edward Everett on Education
“Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.” Edward Everett
Victor Hugo on Age
“When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age.” Victor Hugo
Roger Ebert on Movies
“Every great film should seem new every time you see it.” Roger Ebert
Albert Einstein on Americans
“Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves.” Albert Einstein US (German-born) physicist (1879 – 1955)
Charlie Chaplin on Laughter
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Charlie Chaplin
Stephen Covey on Problems
“The way we see the problem is the problem.” Stephen Covey
Mother Teresa on Faith
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” Mother Teresa
Rita Mae Brown on Computer Dating
“Computer dating is fine, if you’re a computer.” Rita Mae Brown US author and social activist