It is a juvenile notion that a society needs a lofty purpose and a shining vision to achieve much. Both read more

It is a juvenile notion that a society needs a lofty purpose and a shining vision to achieve much. Both in the marketplace and on the battlefield men who set their hearts on toys have often displayed unequal initiative and drive. And one must be ignorant of the creative process to look for a close correspondence between motive and achievement in the world of thought and imagination.

Whenever I dwell for any length of time on my own shortcomings, they gradually begin to seem mild harmless, rather read more

Whenever I dwell for any length of time on my own shortcomings, they gradually begin to seem mild harmless, rather engaging little things, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters.

It's amazing how much "mature wisdom" resembles being too tired.

It's amazing how much "mature wisdom" resembles being too tired.

The main fuel to speed the world's progress is our stock of knowledge, and the brake is our lack of read more

The main fuel to speed the world's progress is our stock of knowledge, and the brake is our lack of imagination.

If you hate something thoroughly without knowing why, you can be sure there is something of it in your own read more

If you hate something thoroughly without knowing why, you can be sure there is something of it in your own nature.

The easier it is to do, the harder it is to change.

The easier it is to do, the harder it is to change.

Violence arises not out of superfluity of power but out of powerlessness.

Violence arises not out of superfluity of power but out of powerlessness.

Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor.

Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor.

Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and read more

Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly.