I believe in using words, not fists. I believe in my outrage knowing people are living in boxes on the street. I believe in honesty. I believe in a good time. I believe in good food. I believe in sex.
The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible.
Advocates of capitalism are very apt to appeal to the sacred principles of liberty, which are embodied in one maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate.
The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history.
The totalitarian, to me, is the enemy - the one that's absolute, the one that wants control over the inside of your head, not just your actions and your taxes.
Knowing that we are primates, I think, is a fascinating discovery, and a very interesting and rather cheering one.
It's impossible, I think, however much I'd become disillusioned politically or evolve into a post-political person, I don't think I'd ever change my view that socialism is the best political moment humans have ever come up with.
I'm not particularly a feminist, but if you get women off the animal cycle of reproduction and give them some say in how many children they'll have, immediately the floor will rise.
I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.
Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
“I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
“I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”
“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
“The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.”
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
“If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.”
“The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”
“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.”
Work as if you were to live a thousand years, play as if you were to die tomorrow.”
Common sense is not so common.”
“Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.”
“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.”
“Animals have these advantages over man: they never hear the clock strike, they die without any idea of death, they have no theologians to instruct them, their last moments are not disturbed by unwelcome and unpleasant ceremonies, their funerals cost them nothing, and no one starts lawsuits over their wills.”
“Men are equal; it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference.”
“When it is a question of money, everybody is of the same religion.”
“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”
“Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.”
All war is based in deception
“He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.”
“If his forces are united, separate them.”
You're all looking at me, you're going, "Well yeah, you're a success, you've achieved you're goals, you're reaping the rewards, sure. But, OI, Brent. Is all you care about chasing the Yankee dollar?" Let me show you something I always keep with me. Just a little book, Collective Meditations, and it's a collection of philosophers, writers, thinkers, native American wisdom, which I, and it's really showing you that, er, the spiritual side needs as much care and attention as the physical side. It's about feeding the soul, yeah? Evolving spirituality. And a foreword by Duncan Goodhew, so... Can I read one-which I think- "If all men were to bring their miseries together in one place, most would be glad to take each, his own, home again, rather than take a portion out of the common stock." It's saying, for the first time, you know, the grass isn't always greener on the other side, don't look over your neighbour's fence and go "ooh he's got a better car than me, ooh, he's got a more attractive wife." We all wake up and we go "oh, I ache, I'm not 18 any more, you know, I'm thirty ni- you know, I'm in my thirties, I'm not-", but so what, at least I've got my health. And if you haven't got your health-if you've got one leg, at least I haven't got two legs missing. And if you have lost both legs and both arms, just go "at least I'm not dead. I'd rather be dead in that situation, to be honest. I'm not saying people like that should be... you know, put down. I'm saying that, in my life, I'd rather not live without arms and legs because... I'm just getting into yoga, for one thing. So...
Sun TzuQuote“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” Quote“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” Quote“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win” Quote“Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.”QuoteAll war is based in deceptionQuote“He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.” Quote“If his forces are united, separate them.”
Favourite quotes from scientists/philosophers/intellectuals?
