What arouses the indignation of the honest satirist is not, unless the man is a prig, the fact that people in positions of power or influence behave idiotically, or even that they behave wickedly. It is that they conspire successfully to impose upon the public a picture of themselves as so very sagacious, honest and well-intentioned.
—Claud Cockburn (1904–81) English Journalist
Nothing is more discouraging than unappreciated sarcasm.
—Unknown
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
What I claim is to live to the full the contradiction of my time, which may well make sarcasm the condition of truth.
—Roland Barthes (1915–80) French Writer, Critic, Teacher
Don’t be a cynic and disconsolate preacher. Don’t bewail and moan. Omit the negative propositions. Challenge us with incessant affirmatives. Don’t waste yourself in rejection, or bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The cynics are right nine times out of ten.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Satirists gain the applause of others through fear, not through love.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
The cynic, a parasite of civilization, lives by denying it, for the very reason that he is convinced that it will not fail.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
I am skeptical in principle, gullible in practice.
—Mason Cooley (1927–2002) American Aphorist
A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
The only deadly sin I know is cynicism.
—Henry L. Stimson (1867–1950) American Statesman, Lawyer
Cynicism is humor in ill health.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
The cynic is one who never sees a good quality in a man, and never fails to see a bad one. He is the human owl, vigilant in darkness and blind to light, mousing for vermin, and never seeing noble game.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
By rights, satire is a lonely and introspective occupation, for nobody can describe a fool to the life without much patient self-inspection.
—Frank Moore Colby (1865–1925) American Encyclopedia Editor, Essayist
Sarcasm I now see to be, in general, the language of the devil; for which reason I have long since as good as renounced it.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Cynicism is cheap—you can buy it at any Monoprix store—it’s built into all poor-quality goods.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
Out of the unconscious lips of babes and sucklings are we satirized.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
I believe no satirist could breathe this air. If another Juvenal or Swift could rise up among us tomorrow, he would be hunted down. If you have any knowledge of our literature, and can give me the name of any man, American born and bred, who has anatomized our follies as a people, and not as this or that party; and who has escaped the foulest and most brutal slander, the most inveterate hatred and intolerant pursuit; it will be a strange name in my ears, believe me.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
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
It is said that truth comes from the mouths of fools and children: I wish every good mind which feels an inclination for satire would reflect that the finest satirist always has something of both in him.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
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
Cynicism is the intellectual cripple’s substitute for intelligence.
—Russell Lynes (1910–91) American Historian, Writer, Editor
A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past; he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
A cynic is a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, and not as they ought to be.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
We can destroy ourselves by cynicism and disillusion, just as effectively as by bombs.
—Kenneth Clark (1903–83) British Art Historian
Blows are sarcasm’s turned stupid.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
I don’t believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it’s going to rain, it will.
—Clint Eastwood (b.1930) American Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The satirist who writes nothing but satire should write but little—or it will seem that his satire springs rather from his own caustic nature than from the sins of the world in which he lives.
—Anthony Trollope (1815–82) English Novelist
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