We may consider each generation as a distinct nation, with a right, by the will of its majority, to bind themselves, but none to bind the succeeding generation, more than the inhabitants of another country.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Generations are as the days of toilsome mankind…. What the father has made, the son can make and enjoy but has also work of his own appointed him. Thus all things wax and roll onwards; arts, establishments, opinions; nothing is ever completed, but ever completing.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The nature of human beings never changes; it is immutable. The present generation of children and the present generation of young adults from the age of thirteen to eighteen is, therefore, no different from that of their great-great-grandparents. Political fads come and go; theories rise and fall; the scientific.
—Taylor Caldwell (1900–85) American Novelist
I have had enough experience in all my years, and have read enough of the past, to know that advice to grandchildren is usually wasted. If the second and third generations could profit by the experience of the first generation, we would not be having some of the troubles we have today.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
The man who sees two or three generations is like one who sits in the conjuror’s booth at a fair, and sees the same tricks two or three times. They are meant to be seen only once.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
To hope is not to demand.
—Unknown
Every generation, no matter how paltry its character, thinks itself much wiser than the one immediately preceding it, let alone those that are more remote.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
The old know what they want; the young are sad and bewildered.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
Life is all memory except for the one present moment that goes by so quick you can hardly catch it going.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
If you believe in yourself, then nothing can stop you from achieving what you believe in.
—Unknown
We are dealing with the best-educated generation in history. But they’ve got a brain dressed up with nowhere to go.
—Timothy Leary (1920–96) American Psychologist, Author
Most oldsters are fascinated by the Future, while the young love to look back to earlier days, especially their own.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Eighteen might look at thirty-four through a rising mist of adolescence; but twenty-two would see thirty-eight with discerning clarity.
—Unknown
Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
Success isn’t the opposite of failure. A runner may come in last, but if he beats his record, he succeeds.
—Unknown
Our choices do not begin with an action,
They begin with an idea.
—Unknown
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy souls diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The person, who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.
—Leo Buscaglia (1924–98) American Motivational Speaker
To young people everything looks permanent, established-and in their eyes everything should be, needs to be changed. To older people everything seems to change, and in their view almost nothing should.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
You will not find what you do not live.
—Unknown
Adversity comes with instruction in its hand.
—Unknown
Recently I labeled the argument-that 18-year-olds were old enough to vote if they were old enough to fight-a perfect example of a non sequitur. This precipitated a spirited discussion by two of my sons at the dinner table; (said) our 15-year-old, Tim: “Pop, fellow at 18 today are a lot smarter than your generation was at 18, and for sure smarter than teenagers were when voting-age requirements were first set in law”. His older brother Bob elucidated: “Maybe not smarter, but certainly better informed, more knowledgeable…. More guys in school and college have helped, but primarily the boob tube has done it”.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
If deeply based in wisdom, even anger is allowed.
—Hans Taeger
Tradition means handing on all that is of value to the next generation.
—Henry Lewis Bullen (1857–1938) Australian-American Librarian, Printer
From the earliest times the old have rubbed it into the young that they are wiser than they, and before the young had discovered what nonsense this was they were old too, and it profited them to carry on the imposture.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Life is hard. Next to what?
—Unknown
One day of pleasure is worth two of sorrow.
—Unknown
The dead might as well try to speak to the living as the old to the young.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
The generations of men run on in the tide of time, but leave their destined lineaments permanent for ever and ever.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Leave a Reply