Her body calculated to a millimeter to suggest a bud yet guarantee a flower.
—Unknown
Man is both strong and weak, both free and bound, both blind and far-seeing. He stands at the juncture of nature and spirit; and is involved in both freedom and necessity.
—Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) American Christian Theologian
The proof that man is the noblest of all creatures is that no other creature has ever denied it.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
The superior man will watch over himself when he is alone. He examines his heart that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may have no cause of dissatisfaction with himself.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Man is a self-balancing, 28-jointed adapter-base biped, and electro-chemical reduction plant, integral with the segregated stowages of special energy extracts in storage batteries, for subsequent activation of thousands of hydraulic and pneumatic pumps, with motors attached; 62,000 miles of capillaries, millions of warning signal, railroad and conveyor systems, crushers and cranes, and a universally distributed telephone system needing no service for seventy years if well managed, the whole extraordinary complex mechanism guided with exquisite precision from a turret in which are located telescopic and microscopic self-registering and recording range-finders, a spectroscope, etc. .. the turret control being closely allied with an air-conditioning intake and exhaust, and a main fuel intake.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
Parents are the supreme gods to their children. They are also called the children’s first teachers. They are their greatest objects of worship and the patrons of beings.
—Buddhist Teaching
Anyone who considers himself in this way will be seized with terror and, discovering that the mass nature has given him supports itself between two abysses of infinity and nothingness, he will tremble in the face of these marvels; and I believe that as his curiosity changes to admiration, he will be more disposed to contemplate them in silence then search them out with presumption.
For, finally, what is man in nature? He is nothing in comparison with the infinite, and everything in comparison with nothingness, a middle term between all and nothing. He is infinitely severed from comprehending the extremes; the end of things and their principle are for him invincibly hidden in an impenetrable secret; he is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he arises and the infinity into which he is engulfed.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Man is not an end but a beginning. We are at the beginning of the second week. We are children of the eighth day.
—Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) American Novelist, Playwright
A crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures, and talk is but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
A mob is a society of bodies, voluntarily bereaving themselves of reason, and traversing its work. The mob is man, voluntarily descending to the nature of the beast. Its fit hour of activity is night; its actions are insane, like its whole constitution.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
As an awaken man does not see what he saw in who his dream, so a living man cannot see the deceased who were his beloved ones.
—Buddhist Teaching
The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to the other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Men, in general, are but great children.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Man! thou pendulum betwixt a smile and tear.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
I am an acme of things accomplished, and I am encloser of things to be.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
To have known one good old man—one man who, through the chances and mischances of a long life, has carried his heart in his hand, like a palm branch, waving all discords into peace—helps our faith in God, in ourselves, and in each other, more than many sermons.
—George William Curtis (1824–92) American Essayist, Public Speaker, Editor, Author
Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect applause; he noblest lives and noblest dies who makes and keeps his self-made laws. All other Life is living Death, a world where none but Phantoms dwell, a breath, a wind, a sound, a voice, a tinkling of the camel-bell.
—Richard Burton (1925–84) Welsh Actor
Man seeks his own good at the whole world’s cost.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
It is a sign of a dull nature to occupy oneself deeply in matters that concern the body; for instance, to be over much occupied about exercise, about eating and drinking, about easing oneself, about sexual intercourse.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
The decay of decency in the modern age, the rebellion against law and good faith, the treatment of human beings as things, as the mere instruments of power and ambition, is without a doubt the consequence of the decay of the belief in man as something more than an animal animated by highly conditioned reflexes and chemical reactions. For, unless man is something more than that, he has no rights that anyone is bound to respect, and there are no limitations upon his conduct which he is bound to obey.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
Not only can a man be called “wise,” but also can a woman who is endowed with wisdom be so called.
—Buddhist Teaching
Man is a being in search of meaning.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
He is neither absorbed in sensual pleasure nor treat others with contempt. He also is gentle and ready-witted. Such a person is not credulous nor fluctuating.
—Buddhist Teaching
Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool. It seems as if heaven had sent its insane angels into our world as to an asylum. And here they will break out into their native music, and utter at intervals the words they have heard in heaven; then the mad fit returns, and they mope and wallow like dogs!
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
What we feel and think and are is to a great extent determined by the state of our ductless glands and viscera.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed. The entire universe need not arm itself to crush him. A vapour, a drop of water suffices to kill him. But, if the Universe were to crush him, man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies and the advantage which the universe has over him; the universe knows nothing of this.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
He who is wise, sensible, has a clear understanding, and is quick-witted can suddenly free himself (from suffering). Do not be afraid. He will come back.
—Buddhist Teaching
He should not break the branches of a tree under whose shade he used to sleep or sit, for a wicked man is he who betrays his friend.
—Buddhist Teaching
Now the basest thought possible concerning man is, that he has no spiritual nature; and the foolish misunderstanding of him possible is, that he has, or should have, no animal nature. For his nature is nobly animal, nobly spiritual,—coherently and irrevocably so; neither part of it may, but at its peril, expel, despise, or defy the other.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
He should be known as a wretch who, after borrowing and spending other’s money, runs away or refuses the debt.
—Buddhist Teaching
We have found a strange footprint on the shores of the unknown. We have devised profound theories, one after another, to account for its origins. At last, we have succeeded in reconstructing the creature that made the footprint. And lo! It is our own.
—Arthur Eddington (1882–1944) English Astronomer
Men are but children of a larger growth; our appetites are as apt to change as theirs, and full as craving, too, and full as vain.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Man is an animal that makes bargains; no other animal does this—one dog does not change a bone with another.
—George Goodman (b.1930) American Economist, Author
Man can climb to the highest summits but he cannot dwell there long.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Why am I so determined to put the shoulder where it belongs? Women have very round shoulders that push forward slightly; this touches me and I say: “One must not hide that!” Then someone tells you: “The shoulder is on the back.” I’ve never seen women with shoulders on their backs.
—Coco Chanel (1883–1971) French Fashion Designer
There are depths in man that go to the lowest hell, and heights that reach the highest heaven, for are not both heaven and hell made out of him, everlasting miracle and mystery that he is.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
All that is limited by form, semblance, sound, color is called object. Among them all, man alone is more than an object. Though, like objects, he has form and semblance, He is not limited to form. He is more. He can attain to formlessness. When he is beyond form and semblance, beyond this and that, where is the comparison with another object? Where is the conflict? What can stand in his way? He will rest in his eternal place which is no-place. He will be hidden in his own unfathomable secret. His nature sinks to its root in the One. His vitality, his power hide in secret Tao.
—Zhuang Zhou (c.369–c.286 BCE) Chinese Taoist Philosopher
They that deny a God destroy man’s nobility; for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and, if he be not kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
I mean, after all; you have to consider we’re only made out of dust. That’s admittedly not much to go on and we shouldn’t forget that. But even considering, I mean it’s a sort of bad beginning, we’re not doing too bad. So I personally have faith that even in this lousy situation we’re faced with we can make it. You get me?
—Philip K. Dick (1928–82) American Novelist, Essayist, Short Story Writer
Man is an animal; but he is an animal plus something else. He is a mythic earth-tree, whose roots are in the ground, but whose top-most branches may blossom in the heavens.
—Henry George (1839–97) American Political Economist, Journalist
In respect to foresight and firmness, the people are more prudent, more stable, and have better judgement than princes.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
Never does a wise man commit a sin for the sake of his happiness. Never will he discard Morality because of his personal love or hatred, even though he may suffer and meet with a failure.
—Buddhist Teaching
Society is the master and man is the servant; and it is entirely according as society proves a good or bad master, whether he turns out a bad or a good servant.
—George Augustus Henry Sala (1828–95) British Journalist
Those Sages who practise the virtue of non-violence and who are always self-restrained, will attain the everlasting state where they will be perfectly free from sorrow.
—Buddhist Teaching
What was my body to me? A kind of flunkey in my service. Let but my anger wax hot, my love grow exalted, my hatred collect in me, and that boasted solidarity between me and my body was gone.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
In men whom men pronounce as ill I find so much of goodness still. In men whom men pronounce divine, I find so much of sin and blot; I hesitate to draw the line between the two, when God has not.
—Joaquin Miller (1837–1913) American Poet, Journalist
An honest man is the noblest work of God.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Man is his own star; and the soul that can
Render an honest and a perfect man
Commands all light, all influence, all fate.
Nothing to him falls early, or too late.
Our acts our angels are, or good or ill,
Our fatal shadows that walk by us still.
—John Fletcher
I don’t believe the war is simply the work of politicians and capitalists. Oh no, the common man is every bit as guilty; otherwise, people and nations would have rebelled long ago! There’s a destructive urge in people, the urge to rage, murder, and kill. And until all of humanity, without exception, undergoes a metamorphosis, wars will continue to be waged, and everything that has been carefully built up, cultivated and grown will be cut down and destroyed, only to start all over again!
—Anne Frank (1929–45) Holocaust Victim
Nobody can make anybody be someone he or she doesn’t want to be.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson