Anatole France on Work
“Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another.” Anatole France, The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard French novelist (1844 – 1924)
Robert Bakker on Taxes
“I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator and name it after the IRS.” Robert Bakker, paleontologist
Arnold Schwarzenegger on Movies
“I have a love interest in every one of my films – a gun” Arnold Schwarzenegger
John Sladek on the Future
“The future, according to some scientists, will be exactly like the past, only far more expensive.” John Sladek
George Bernard Shaw on Politics
“Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” George Bernard Shaw Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
Pablo Picasso on Art
“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.” Pablo Picasso Spanish Cubist painter (1881 – 1973)
William James on Life
“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” William James US Pragmatist philosopher & psychologist (1842 – 1910)
Mark Twain on Procrastination
“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Mark Twain US humorist, novelist, short story author, & wit (1835 – 1910)
Irving Kristol on Equality
“Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions – it only guarantees equality of opportunity.” Irving Kristol
Stephen Jay Gould on Science
“The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos.” Stephen Jay Gould US author, naturalist, paleontologist, & popularizer of science (1941 – 2002)
Aristotle on Politics
“Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.” Aristotle
Maria Robinson on Success
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson
Jules Renard on Literature
“Literature is an occupation in which you have to keep proving your talent to people who have none.” Jules Renard (1864 – 1910)
Bertrand Russell on Politics
“There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.” Bertrand Russell British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 – 1970)
Steve Jobs on Innovation
“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” Steve Jobs
Heywood Broun on Atheism
“Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist that there is no God.” Heywood Broun US journalist (1888 – 1939)
William Feather on Society
“One of the indictments of civilizations is that happiness and intelligence are so rarely found in the same person.” William Feather (1908 – 1976)
Bertrand Russell on Mathematics
“Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty – a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture.” Bertrand Russell British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 – 1970)
J. Paul Getty on Money
“If you can count your money, you don’t have a billion dollars.” J. Paul Getty
George Bernard Shaw on Experience
“We learn from experience that men never learn anything from experience.” George Bernard Shaw
Mark Twain on Humanity
“The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot.” Mark Twain, What Is Man? (1906) US humorist, novelist, short story author, & wit (1835 – 1910)
Robert Louis Stevenson on Life
“Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things.” Robert Louis Stevenson Scottish author (1850 – 1894)
John F. Kennedy on Power
“The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life.” John F. Kennedy
Dwight D. Eisenhower on Society
“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” Dwight D. Eisenhower Inaugural Address, January 20, 1953 34th president of US 1953-1961 (1890 – 1969)
William Shakespeare on Nature
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” William Shakespeare
Epicurus on Death
“It is possible to provide security against other ills, but as far as death is concerned, we men live in a city without walls.” Epicurus
Edward Gibbon on History
“History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.” Edward Gibbon English historian of Rome (1737 – 1794)
Cullen Hightower on Mistakes
“Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else’s can shorten it.” Cullen Hightower
Lucius Annaeus Seneca on Wisdom
“No man was ever wise by chance.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Henry Ford on Idealism
“An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.” Henry Ford US automobile industrialist (1863 – 1947)
Harry S. Truman on Economy
“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.” Harry S. Truman, in Observer, April 13, 1958 33rd president of US (1884 – 1972)
Albert Einstein on Future
“I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.” Albert Einstein US (German-born) physicist (1879 – 1955)
Leo Rosten on Happiness
“Money can’t buy happiness, but neither can poverty.” Leo Rosten US (Polish-born) author (1908 – 1997)
Frank Borman on Humanity and Progress
“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.” Frank Borman
Pappilon on Character
“A temptation resisted is a true measure of character.” Pappilon
Woody Allen on Life
“You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.” Woody Allen US movie actor, comedian, & director (1935 – )
H. G. Wells on History and Education
“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” H. G. Wells, Outline of History (1920) English author, historian, & utopian (1866 – 1946)
Thomas Szasz on Life
“The proverb warns that ‘You should not bite the hand that feeds you.’ But maybe you should, if it prevents you from feeding yourself.” Thomas Szasz
Arthur C. Clarke on Technology
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Arthur C. Clarke English physicist & science fiction author (1917 – 2008)
Bill Gates on Computers
“I think it’s fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created. They’re tools of communication, they’re tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user.” Bill Gates
Mark Twain on Patriotism
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Mark Twain
Frank Tibolt on Inspiration
“We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.” Frank Tibolt
Voltaire on Songs
“Anything too stupid to be said is sung.” Voltaire French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 – 1778)
George Bernard Shaw on Shame
“The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.” George Bernard Shaw, “Man and Superman” (1903), act I Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
Aldous Huxley on Humanity
“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” Aldous Huxley English critic & novelist (1894 – 1963)
George Bernard Shaw on Democracy
“Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.” George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903) “Maxims for Revolutionists” Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
Jerome K. Jerome on Laziness
“It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.” Jerome K. Jerome British humor writer (1859 – 1927)
Frank Dane on Politics
“Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything.” Frank Dane
Thomas Szasz Cynical Quote
“Two wrongs don’t make a right, but they make a good excuse.” Thomas Szasz, The Second Sin (1973) “Social Relations”
Mother Teresa on Faith
“I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Mother Teresa
George Bernard on Cynicism
“The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.” George Bernard Shaw Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
Douglas Adams on Experience
“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” Douglas Adams
Will Rogers Cynical Quote
“We don’t know what we want, but we are ready to bite somebody to get it.” Will Rogers US humorist & showman (1879 – 1935)
Voltaire on History and Crime
“Indeed, history is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes.” Voltaire French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 – 1778)
Sam Levenson on Wisdom
“You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.” Sam Levenson (1911 – 1980)
Albert Einstein on Education
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death” Albert Einstein
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on Ideas
“When ideas fail, words come in very handy.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe German dramatist, novelist, poet, & scientist (1749 – 1832)
Herbert Hoover on Honor and Politics
“Honor is not the exclusive property of any political party.” Herbert Hoover
Donald Trump on Moderation
“A little more moderation would be good. Of course, my life hasn’t exactly been one of moderation.” Donald Trump President of the United States of America as well as real estate construction & development businessman (1946 – )
Arthur C. Clarke on Intelligence
“It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.” Arthur C. Clarke English physicist & science fiction author (1917 – 2008)
