Don’t wait for your ship to come in. Row out to meet it.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand.
—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) American Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
A man is the sum of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do, nothing else.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
There comes a moment in the day when you have written your pages in the morning, attended to your correspondence in the afternoon, and have nothing further to do. Then comes that hour when you are bored; that’s the time for sex.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
What constitutes a real, live human being is more of a mystery than ever these days, and men—each one of whom is a valuable, unique experiment on the part of nature—are shot down wholesale.
—Hermann Hesse (1877–1962) German-born Swiss Novelist, Poet
Every one stamps his own value on himself.—The price we challenge for ourselves is given us.—Man is made great or little by his own will.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Two-thirds of promotion is motion
—Indian Proverb
When you see a rattlesnake poised to strike you, do not wait until he has struck before you crush him.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan,
The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A being darkly wise and rudely great.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Considered logically this concept is not identical with the totality of sense impressions referred to; but it is an arbitrary creation of the human (or animal) mind.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
I love men, not for what unites them, but for what divides them, and I want to know most of all what gnaws at their hearts.
—Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918) Italian-born French Poet, Playwright
If you want a thing done, go. If not, send. The shortest answer is doing.
—English Proverb
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Initiative is doing the right thing without being told.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
The road of life can only reveal itself as it is traveled; each turn in the road reveals a surprise. Man’s future is hidden.
—Indian Proverb
Those who live in a world of human beings can only retrace their steps.
—Nathalie Sarraute (1900–99) French Novelist, Essayist
Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
The best security for civilization is the dwelling, and upon properly appointed and becoming dwellings depends, more than anything else, the improvement of mankind.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Teachers open the door but you must walk through it yourself.
—Chinese Proverb
Action is character.
—Anonymous
Sex is the most fun you can have without laughing.
—Woody Allen (b.1935) American Film Actor, Director
Man is a beautiful machine that works very badly.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon.
—Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) German Statesman
Don’t look back, just keep on walking.
—Unknown
The world of men is dreaming, it has gone mad in its sleep, and a snake is strangling it, but it can’t wake up.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
If man had created man, he would be ashamed of his performance.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
People sitting on top of the world, usually arrived there standing up.
—Unknown
Man is not only a contributory creature, but a total creature; he does not only make one, but he is all; he is not a piece of the world, but the world itself; and next to the glory of God, the reason why there is a world.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.
—Unknown
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