A man who enjoys responsibility usually gets it. A man who merely likes exercising authority usually loses it.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Power, Responsibility
How would you know what happy is if you’ve never been otherwise.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Happiness
Blaming the U.S. for most of their problems is usually food for bursts of applause among our allies, and ever more frequently within the Third World…. But where do they put what’s nearest and dearest to them-their money? Here. In the last year and a half oversea-ers have invested more money in the U.S. than ever before; more, for the first time, than Americans have invested abroad. So, too, their cash stash in U.S. stocks, bonds and Treasuries soars. The French send the Socialists to power and their money to New York.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: America
Meanness demeans the demeaner far more than the demeaned.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Anger
The more sympathy you give, the less you need.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Giving, Sympathy, Charity, Kindness, One liners
Accepting blame when it’s not really due sometimes makes the point better.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Blame
At the heart of any good business is a chief executive officer with one.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Heart
Most oldsters are fascinated by the Future, while the young love to look back to earlier days, especially their own.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Generations
TV cassette players will take ever-bigger bites out of the regular TV-viewing audience, moviegoers, sports and other event-attending spectators. Cassette players are now the hottest thing on the entertainment scene since popcorn… Movie cassettes are improving the margin of profit for more and more Hollywood hits that don’t at the box office. And of course, there is the home video camera… The only limitation is the viewer’s time. And there, my friends, is the rub of the matter. With only one pair of eyes and a 24-hour day, tape-popping addicts have less and less time for going out to pay to see things.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Media
Few businessmen are capable of being in politics, they don’t understand the democratic process, they have neither the tolerance or the depth it takes. Democracy isn’t a business.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Politicians, Politics
If you’ve had a good time playing the game, you’re a winner even if you lose.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Success, Winning
Hoarding one’s hurts hurts only the hoarder.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Looking the part helps get the chance to fill it. But if you fill the part, it matters not if you look it.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Appearance
Economists’ unanimity that bad business is ahead is the most reassuring news possible. It’s very unlikely that this will be the one time they’re right.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Business
Those carried away by power are soon carried away.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Power
Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing when to keep your mouth shut is invariably more important than opening it at the right time. Always listen to a man when he describes the faults of others. Often times, most times, he’s describing his own, revealing himself.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Adversity
It’s the less-bright students who make teachers teach better.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Education
Generous gestures yield the most when that isn’t their purpose.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Generosity
Nobody can make anybody be someone he or she doesn’t want to be.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Man
It’s always worthwhile to make others aware of their worth.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Education
Most everyone wants to do what’s fair, right, and good, but knowing what is is often the tough part.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Justice
Re raising kids: Love, without discipline, isn’t.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Children
Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Defeat, Victory, One liners
All work and no play makes jack. With enough jack, Jack needn’t be a dull boy.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Money
Personal & Confidential. Letters so marked should be. When the contents are only printed matter, though, the minifrauder succeeds in sowing illwill & ire.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Writing
An inadequate chief executive officer’s time at the top is always too long no matter how short.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
People who can’t see without glasses should wear them.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Life
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Awareness, Blessings, Gratitude, Self Respect, Adversity, Humility, Appreciation, Difficulties, Values, Self Confidence, Self-Esteem, Acceptance, Realization
When a fissure off the California coast started pumping and dumping oil on the nearby towns and beaches, everybody started dumping on Union Oil. Matters weren’t helped one iota by a manufactured quotation attributed to Union’s president, Fred Hartley, alleging his amazement at the publicity for the loss of a few birds…. Fred Hartley never said what the press reported, as the transcript and the Senate committee members definitely established. But I don’t suppose the truth will ever catch up with the more colorful falsehood.
—Malcolm S. Forbes
Topics: Nature
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
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- B. C. Forbes Scottish-born American Journalist
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- Marlene Dietrich German-American Actress, Singer
- Isadora Duncan American Dancer
- Andy Warhol American Painter
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