No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an unchartered land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said, “I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one. The grandson asked him, “Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?” The grandfather answered, “The one I feed”.
—Muriel Strode (1875–1964) American Author, Businesswoman
A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists.
—Don Marquis (1878–1937) American Humorist, Journalist, Author
The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.
—George Will (b.1941) American Columnist, Journalist, Writer
To hear complaints is tiresome to the miserable and the happy.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Don’t complain that you are not getting what you want, Just be glad you are not getting what you deserve!
—Unknown
I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
—Hebrew Proverb
One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him.
—Chinese Proverb
He cannot complain of a hard sentence, who is made master of his own fate.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
—William Lonsdale Watkinson
It is a general popular error to suppose the loudest complainers for the public to be the most anxious for its welfare.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
One chops the wood, the other does the grunting.
—Yiddish Proverb
We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities; an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows shot up into the air at no target: and with no purpose they only fall back upon our own heads and destroy ourselves.
—William Temple (1881–1944) British Clergyman, Theologian
He that falls by himself never cries.
—Turkish Proverb
The most prolific period of pessimism comes at twenty-one or thereabouts, when the first attempt is made to translate dreams into reality.
—Heywood Hale Broun (1918–2001) American Journalist, Commentator, Actor
Pessimism is as American as apple pie. Frozen apple pie with a slice of processed cheese.
—George Will (b.1941) American Columnist, Journalist, Writer
Pessimists are the people who have no hope for themselves or for others. Pessimists are also people who think the human race is beneath their notice, that they’re better than other human beings.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
The tendency to whining and complaining may be taken as the surest sign symptom of little souls and inferior intellects.
—Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773–1850) Scottish Judge, Literary Critic
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Pessimism is an excuse for not trying and a guarantee to a personal failure.
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
The taste for worst-case scenarios reflects the need to master fear of what is felt to be uncontrollable. It also expresses an imaginative complicity with disaster.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.
—Anthony J. D’Angelo
Through unity of action we can be a veritable colossus in support of peace. No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves. Every one of us must be guided by this truth.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
Pessimism never won any battle.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
The usual fortune of complaint is to excite contempt more than pity.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Pessimism is, in brief, playing the sure game. You cannot lose at it; you may gain. It is the only view of life in which you can never be disappointed. Having reckoned what to do in the worst possible circumstances, when better arise, as they may, life becomes child’s play.
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) English Novelist, Poet
Never complain. Never explain.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
The wheel that squeaks the loudest is the one that gets the grease.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
It is wisdom in prosperity, when all is as thou wouldn’t have it, to fear and suspect the worst.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Optimism doesn’t wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time.
—Norman Cousins (1915–90) American Journalist, Author, Academic, Activist
When complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
I doubt anyone will ever see—anywhere—a memorial to a pessimist.
—Unknown
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
I think a compliment ought to always precede a complaint, where one is possible, because it softens resentment and insures for the complaint a courteous and gentle reception.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
No good deed goes unpunished.
—Clare Boothe Luce (1903–87) American Playwright, Diplomat, Journalist, Diplomat, Elected Rep
When a person finds themselves predisposed to complaining about how little they are regarded by others, let them reflect how little they have contributed to the happiness of others.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his achievements; Jove is known to strike such people down.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
What do sad complaints avail if the offense is not cut down by punishment.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
There is one topic peremptorily forbidden to all well-bred, to all rational mortals, namely, their distempers. If you have not slept, or if you have slept, or if you have headache, or sciatica, or leprosy, or thunder-stroke, I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The squeaking wheel doesn’t always get the grease. Sometimes it gets replaced.
—Unknown
You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.
—Samuel Goldwyn (1879–1974) Polish-born American Film Producer, Businessperson
Do not sit long with a sad friend. When you go to a garden do you look at the weeds? Spend more time with the roses and jasmines.
—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–73) Persian Muslim Mystic
Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) Polish-born American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
A pessimist is one who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Complaint is the largest tribute Heaven receives.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Depend upon it, that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him: for where there is nothing but pure misery, there never is any mention of it.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist