All successful revolutions are the kicking in of a rotten door. The violence of revolutions is the violence of men who charge into a vacuum.
—John Kenneth Galbraith, 1977
Archive
Quotes
To put one’s trust in God is only a longer way of saying that one will chance it.
—Samuel Butler, c. 1890We must confess that at present the rich predominate, but the future will be for the virtuous and ingenious.
—Jean de La Bruyère, 1688One who is frivolous all day will never establish a household.
—Ptahhotep, c. 2400 BCSpeak without regard for the consequences, and it is too late for silence when disaster strikes.
—Huan Kuan, 81 BCFrom the cradle to the coffin, underwear comes first.
—Bertolt Brecht, 1928Thanks be to God: since my leaving drinking of wine, I do find myself much better and do mind my business better, and do spend less money, and less time lost in idle company.
—Samuel Pepys, 1662If you must take care that your opinions do not differ in the least from those of the person with whom you are talking, you might just as well be alone.
—Yoshida Kenko, c. 1330People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.
—Edmund Burke, 1790One of the important requirements for learning how to cook is that you also learn how to eat.
—Julia Child, 2001The waters are nature’s storehouse, in which she locks up her wonders.
—Izaak Walton, 1653No great idea in its beginning can ever be within the law.
—Emma Goldman, 1917All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.
—Al Smith, 1933