If you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days.
—Annie Dillard (b.1945) Essayist, Novelist, Poet, Naturalist, Mystic
The most agreeable of all companions is a simple, frank man, without any high pretensions to an oppressive greatness—one who loves life, and understands the use of it; obliging alike at all hours; above all, of a golden temper, and steadfast as an anchor. For such an one we gladly exchange the greatest genius, the most brilliant wit, the profoundest thinker.
—Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729–81) German Writer, Philosopher
A lack of simplicity ruins it all.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Nothing is true, but that which is simple.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of the nonessentials.
—Lin Yutang (1895–1976) Chinese Author, Philologist
Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.
—Elise M. Boulding (1920–2010) American Sociologist, Pacifist Feminist, Scholar
Intellectual comradeship requires that you think your thoughts through to the place where you can make the complex seem simple, the obscure quite clear.
—David Seabury (1885–1960) American Psychologist
You ask what is the use of classification, arrangement, systemization? I answer you: order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject-the actual enemy is the unknown.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
The criterion of simplicity requires that the minimum number of assumptions be postulated.
—Albert Low (1928–2016) British-born Canadian Zen Master
Refined policy has ever been the parent of confusion, and ever will be so, as long as the world endures. Plain good intention, which is as easily discovered at the first view as fraud is surely detected at last, is of no mean force in the government of mankind. Genuine simplicity of heart is a healing and cementing principle.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Maybe a person’s time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food.
—Frank A. Clark
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
I paint from the top down. From the sky, then the mountains, then the hills, then the houses, then the cattle, and then the people.
—Grandma Moses (1860–1961) American Painter, Artist
A childlike mind, in its simplicity, practices that science of good to which the wise may be blind.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
When thought is too weak to be simply expressed, it’s clear proof that it should be rejected.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
I take a simple view of living. It is, keep your eyes open and get on with it.
—Laurence Olivier (1907–89) English Actor, Producer, Director
I go about looking at horses and cattle. They eat grass, make love, work when they have to, bear their young. I am sick with envy of them.
—Sherwood Anderson (1876–1941) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
When you are at sea, keep clear of the land.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters is simplicity: nothing is better than simplicity.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Purity and simplicity are the two wings with which man soars above the earth and all temporary nature.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Life will not bear refinement. You must do as other people do.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
When ideas come, I write them; when they don’t come, I don’t.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
Simple style is like white light. It is complex, but its complexity is not obvious.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
The great things in life are what they seem to be. And for that reason, strange as it may sound to you, often are very difficult to interpret (understand). Great passion are for the great of souls. Great events can only be seen by people who are on a level with them. We think we can have our visions for nothing. We cannot. Even the finest and most self-sacrificing visions have to paid for. Strangely enough, that is what makes them fine.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Man is an over-complicated organism. If he is doomed to extinction he will die out for want of simplicity.
—Ezra Pound (1885-1972) American Poet, Translator, Critic
If our love were but more simple, we should take Him at his word, and our lives would be all sunshine in the sweetness of the Lord.
—Frederick William Faber (1814–63) British Hymn writer, Theologian
I have always observed that to succeed in the world one should appear like a fool but be wise.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is more valuable? Success or failure: which is more destructive? If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.
—E. F. Schumacher (1911–77) German Mathematician, Economist
There is a majesty in simplicity which is far above the quaintness of wit.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Simplicity and repose are the qualities that measure the true value of any work of art.
—Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) American Architect
A refined simplicity is the characteristic of all high bred deportment, in every country, and a considerate humanity should be the aim of all beneath it.
—James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851) American Novelist
A noble brother, whose nature is so far from doing harms, that he suspects none.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the adequate representation of a single datum of experience.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
What I do, I do very well, and what I don’t do well, I don’t do at all.
—Unknown
The noble simplicity in the works of nature only too often originates in the noble shortsightedness of him who observes it.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Simplicity of character is no hindrance to subtlety of intellect.
—John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn (1838–1923) British Political Leader, Writer, Editor, Journalist
The main purpose of science is simplicity and as we understand more things, everything is becoming simpler.
—Edward Teller (1908–2003) Hungarian-born American Physicist
There is only one meaning of life, the act of living itself.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
Losers have tons of variety. Champions take pride in just learning to hit the same old boring winners.
—Vic Braden (b.1929) American Sportsperson, Author
God made man simple, but how he changed and got complicated is hard to say.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I would not give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.
—Unknown