A quotation from Teddy Roosevelt

Nevertheless, the fact remains that exactly as true patriots should be especially jealous of any appeal to what is base under the guise of patriotism, so men who strive for honesty, and for the cleansing of what is corrupt in the dark places of our politics, should emphatically disassociate themselves from the men whose antics throw discredit upon the reforms they profess to advocate.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901-1909)
Essay (1900-06), “Latitude and Longitude Among Reformers,” The Century Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 2

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/roosevelt-theodore/1…

My head is heavy, my limbs are weary,
And it is not life that makes me move.

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

A quotation from Thomas Carlyle

All greatness is unconscious, or it is little and naught.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Essay (1837-12-06), “On Sir Walter Scott,” The London and Westminster Review, No. 12/55, Art. 2 (1838-01)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/carlyle-thomas/76248…

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

If what we profess is not an organic part of our understanding, we are likely to profess it with vehemence and intolerance. Intolerance is the “Do Not Touch” sign on something that cannot bear touching. We do not mind having our hair ruffled, but we will not tolerate any familiarity with the toupee which covers our baldness.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 62 (1955)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/hoffer-eric/1909/

A quotation from Josh Billings

Mankind ain’t apt tew respekt verry mutch what they are familiar with, it iz what we don’t know, or kant see, that we hanker for.
 
[Mankind ain’t apt to respect very much what they are familiar with; it is what we don’t know, or can’t see, that we hanker for.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 156 “Affurisms: Embers on the Harth” (1874)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/billings-josh/76244/

A quotation from Franklin

Historians relate, not so much what is done, as what they would have believed.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1739 ed.)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/franklin-benjamin/76…

Well, listen, I got to go. Got to show more people my tan.

#QOTD: "A programmer that knows one language will think it's perfect and defend it fanatically. One who knows more than one language hates them all." - James Cash

#qotd
They speak of a Kennedy curse,

That sees all the sons in a hearse.

But RFK smug

Fears no sniper's slug

Since the worms have gotten there first.

#QuoteOfTheDay / #QOTD for Apr 17

"One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them."
-Virginia Woolf

*Quotes selected are interesting in some manner and not always something I agree with 100% or sources I like as a person.

The universe is made of stories, not atoms.
- Muriel Rukeyser

What is something you quote all the time? It can be from a movie, TV show, book, comic, whatever.

One example from me is from Parks and Rec where Tom says, “I thought we as a culture agreed to forget the year that everyone was into swing.”

What about you?

A quotation from John Adams

They define a republic to be a government of laws, and not of men.

John Adams (1735-1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797-1801)
Essay (1775-03-06), “Novanglus,” No. 7, Boston Gazette

Sourcing, substantial notes: wist.info/adams-john/6715/

A quotation from Thoreau

The events of the past month teach me to distrust Fame. I see that she does not finely discriminate, but coarsely hurrahs. She considers not the simple heroism of an action, but only as it is connected with its apparent consequences. She praises till she is hoarse the easy exploit of the Boston tea party, but will be comparatively silent about the braver and more disinterestedly heroic attack on the Boston Court-House, simply because it was unsuccessful!

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American philosopher and writer
Speech (1854-07-04), “Slavery in Massachusetts,” Anti-Slavery Celebration, Framingham, Massachusetts

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/thoreau-henry-david/…

A quotation from Franklin Roosevelt

In dictatorships there can be no party divisions. For all men must think as they are told, speak as they are told, write as they are told, live — and die — as they are told. In those countries the Nation is not above the party, as with us; the party is above the Nation; the party is the Nation. Every common man and woman is forced to walk the straight and narrow path of the party line, not strictly speaking a party line, but rather a line drawn by the dictator himself, who owns the party.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman, US President (1933-1945)
Speech (1941-03-29), Jackson Day Radio Broadcast, U.S.S. Potomac

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/roosevelt-franklin-d…

A quotation from Montaigne

I gladly return to the subject of the ineptitude of our education. Its goal has been to make us not good or wise, but learned; it has attained this goal. It has not taught us to follow and embrace virtue and wisdom, but has imprinted in us their derivation and etymology. We know how to decline virtue, if we cannot love it. If we do not know what wisdom is by practice and experience, we know it by jargon and by rote.
 
[Je retombe volontiers sur ce discours de l’ineptie de nostre institution : Elle a eu pour sa fin, de nous faire, non bons & sages, mais sçavans : elle y est arrivée. Elle ne nous a pas appris de suyvre & embrasser la vertu & la prudence : mais elle nous en a imprimé la derivation & l’etymologie. Nous sçavons decliner vertu, si nous ne sçavons l’aymer. Si nous ne sçavons que c’est que prudence par effect, & par experience, nous le sçavons par jargon & par cœur.]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essay (1578), “Of Presumption [De la Presomption], Essays, Book 2, ch. 17 (2.17) (1595) [tr. Frame (1943)]

Sourcing, notes, alternate translations: wist.info/montaigne-michel-de/…

#QuoteOfTheDay:

Fernando Sabino realized the struggle is part of the process.

“In the end, everything will be okay. If it’s not okay, it’s not yet the end. “

- Fernando Sabino

A quotation from Steven Moffat

   STEVE: (to Susan) It is not scientifically possible for a man to know what a woman wants. And that’s not fair, because you always know what we want.
   PATRICK: We always have the decency to only want one thing.
   STEVE: And do you ever thank us for making it so simple?
   PATRICK: Never!

Steven Moffat (b. 1961) Scottish television writer, producer
Coupling, 03×02 “Faithless” (2002-09-30)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/moffat-steven/76231/

A quotation from Mark Twain

There are many humorous things in the world, among them the white man’s notion that he is less savage than the other savages.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Following the Equator, ch. 21 (1897)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/twain-mark/3920/