There are one hundred men seeking security to one able man who is willing to risk his fortune.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Business Person, Art Collector, Philanthropist
I’m hostile to men, I’m hostile to women, I’m hostile to cats, to poor cockroaches, I’m afraid of horses.
—Norman Mailer (1923–2007) American Novelist Essayist
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
—William J. H. Boetcker (1873–1962) American Presbyterian Minister
Security… it’s simply the recognition that changes will take place and the knowledge that you’re willing to deal with whatever happens.
—Harry Browne (1933–2006) American Politician, Investor, Writer
Security represents your sense of worth, your identity, your emotional anchorage, your self-esteem, your basic personal strength or lack of it.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
If you want security, go to prison.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
The man who looks for security, even in the mind, is like a man who would chop off his limbs in order to have artificial ones which will give him no pain or trouble.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Anxiety is the mark of spiritual insecurity.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
The task we must set for ourselves is not to feel secure, but to be able to tolerate insecurity.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
Self-defense is Nature’s oldest law.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.
—Gail Sheehy (1936–2020) American Writer, Journalist
There is not much collective security in a flock of sheep on the way to the butcher.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Security will produce danger.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
When you inhabit any of these three roles, you’re reacting to fear of victimhood, loss of control, or loss of purpose. You’re always looking outside yourself, to the people and circumstances of life, for a sense of safety, security, and sanity.
—David Emerald
Solvency is entirely a matter of temperament, not of income.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
Stability is not immobility.
—Klemens Wenzel, Prince von Metternich (1773–1859) Austrian Political leader, Politician
Is there any sex-distinction in the Atman (Self)? Out with the differentiation between man and woman—all is Atman! Give up the identification with the body, and stand up!
—Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) Indian Hindu Monk, Mystic
We are never more in danger than when we think ourselves most secure, nor in reality more secure than when we seem to be most in danger.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
They have discovered that security is not having things; it’s handling things. Thus, when you can answer all your “what if”s with “I can handle it,” you can approach all things with a no-lose guarantee, and the fear disappears.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Security is the chief enemy of mortals.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Shun security.
—Thales of Miletus (c.624–c.545 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician
I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can’t be done. If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
He who is firmly seated in authority soon learns to think security, not progress, the highest lesson of statecraft.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
Security is when everything is settled. When nothing can happen to you. Security is the denial of life.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it.
—John Steinbeck (1902–68) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Journalist
The ultimate in futility is owning important jewelry. Insurers often insist on the wearing of paste replicas because necks with real rocks around ’em risk wringing.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression gainst any neighbor—anywhere in the world.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
No one can build his security upon the nobleness of another person.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
Security is the mother of danger and the grandmother of destruction.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
You sleep safe in your beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do you harm.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
To be on the alert is to live; to be lulled into security is to die.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
All things human hang by a slender thread; and that which seemed to stand strong suddenly falls and sinks in ruins.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
There’s no security on this earth, only opportunity.
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) American Military Leader
Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than of death.
—James F. Byrnes (1882–1972) American Elected Representative, Political leader, Politician
Men are afraid to rock the boat in which they hope to drift safely through life’s currents, when, actually, the boat is stuck on a sandbar. They would be better off to rock the boat and try to shake it loose, or, better still, jump in the water and swim for the shore.
—Thomas Szasz (1920–2012) Hungarian-American Psychiatrist, Psychoanalyst
Probably the only place where a man can feel really secure is in a maximum security prison, except for the imminent threat of release.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
There is no such thing as security. There never has been.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
A man who has nothing which he cares about more than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the existing of better men than himself.
—John Stuart Mill (1806–73) English Philosopher, Economist
Yet one thing secures us what ever betide, the scriptures assures us the Lord will provide.
—Isaac Newton (1643–1727) English Physicist, Mathematician, Astronomer, Theologian
Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are worth the risk.
—Shirley Hufstedler (1925–2016) American Lawyer, Jurist
Our capacity to retaliate must be, and is, massive in order to deter all forms of aggression.
—John Foster Dulles (1888–1959) American Republican Public Official, Lawyer
Man maintains his balance, poise, and sense of security only as he is moving forward.
—Maxwell Maltz (1899–1975) American Surgeon, Motivational Writer
We hear of a silent generation, more concerned with security than integrity, with conforming than performing, with imitating than creating.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
What can we take on trust
in this uncertain life? Happiness, greatness,
pride – nothing is secure, nothing keeps.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Attack is the best form of defense.
—Common Proverb
If you want total security, go to prison. There you’re fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking … is freedom.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader