Arthur Schopenhauer Wisdom Quote
“We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.” Arthur Schopenhauer German philosopher (1788 – 1860)
W. C. Fields on Gambling
“Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.” W. C. Fields US actor (1880 – 1946)
Will Rogers on Direction
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” Will Rogers US humorist & showman (1879 – 1935)
Scott Adams on Business
“Informed decision-making comes from a long tradition of guessing and then blaming others for inadequate results.” Scott Adams
Frank Herbert on Knowledge
“The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.” Frank Herbert US science fiction novelist (1920 – 1986)
Peter Borden on Science
“Most advances in science come when a person for one reason or another is forced to change fields.” Peter Borden
Evan Esar on Statistics
“Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions.” Evan Esar, Esar’s Comic Dictionary American Humorist (1899 – 1995)
Robert Frost on Work
“The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.” Robert Frost US poet (1874 – 1963)
E. F. Schumacher on Innovation
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.” E. F. Schumacher
Thomas H. Huxley on Truth
“Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.” Thomas H. Huxley English biologist (1825 – 1895)
Aeschylus on Wisdom
“It is a profitable thing, if one is wise, to seem foolish.” Aeschylus Greek tragic dramatist (525 BC – 456 BC)
James M. Barrie on Life
“Life is a long lesson in humility.” James M. Barrie
George F. Will on Pessimism
“The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” George F. Will US editor, commentator, & columnist (1941 – )
Robert Byrne on Life
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Robert Byrne
Marjorie Stoneman Douglas on the Future
“The future lies in the strength with which people can set their powers of creation against their impulses for destruction. Perhaps this is the unending frontier.” Marjorie Stoneman Douglas
Mark Twain on Work
“Work is a necessary evil to be avoided.” Mark Twain
Robertson Davies on Society
“There is no nonsense so gross that society will not, at some time, make a doctrine of it and defend it with every weapon of communal stupidity.” Robertson Davies
Saint Augustine on Hope
“Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” Saint Augustine
Marcus Tullius Cicero on Faith
“A man of courage is also full of faith.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
Albert Einstein on Love
“Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. How on earth can you explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love? Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.” Albert Einstein
Elbert Hubbard on Journalism
“Editor: a person employed by a newspaper, whose business it is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and to see that the chaff is printed.” Elbert Hubbard US author (1856 – 1915)
Laurie Anderson on Music
“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” Laurie Anderson
Anonymous on Politics
“Liberals are very broadminded: they are always willing to give careful consideration to both sides of the same side.” Anonymous
Albert Einstein on Logic and Imagination
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Albert Einstein
Oscar Wilde on Experience
“Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.” Oscar Wilde
George Lucas on Movies
“The secret to film is that it’s an illusion.” George Lucas
Marlene Dietrich on Wisdom
“I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.” Marlene Dietrich German movie actress (1901 – 1992)
Winston Churchill on Democracy
“It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” Sir Winston Churchill British politician (1874 – 1965)
G.K. Chesterton on Modernism
“He who marries the spirit of the times will soon find himself a widower.” Gilbert K. Chesterton English author & mystery novelist (1874 – 1936)
Erma Bombeck on Life
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me”. Erma Bombeck
Aldous Huxley on Happiness
“Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities.” Aldous Huxley, Vedanta for the Western World, 1945 English critic & novelist (1894 – 1963)
Annie Lennox on Kindness
“Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.” Annie Lennox
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)
Carl Becker on Humanity
“The significance of man is that he is insignificant and is aware of it.” Carl Becker
Daniel Webster on Politics
“A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures.” Daniel Webster US diplomat, lawyer, orator, & politician (1782 – 1852)
Edgar Watson Howe on Lies
“Americans detest all lies except lies spoken in public or printed lies.” Edgar Watson Howe US journalist (1853 – 1937)
Emily Matthews on Christmas
“From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another the warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other.” Emily Matthews
Charlotte Carpenter on Christmas
“He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.” Charlotte Carpenter
Burton Hillis on Christmas and Family
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” Burton Hillis
Helen Keller on Christmas
“The only blind person at Christmastime is he who has not Christmas in his heart.” Helen Keller
Oren Arnold on Christmas
“Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” Oren Arnold
Dale Evans on Christmas and Love
“Christmas is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” Dale Evans
Calvin Coolidge on Christmas and Peace
“Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” Calvin Coolidge
Charles M. Crowe on Easter
“Easter tells us that life is to be interpreted not simply in terms of things but in terms of ideals.” Charles M. Crowe
