Noise proves nothing, Often a hen who has laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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
There are people who have an appetite for grief; pleasure is not strong enough and they crave pain. They have mithridatic stomachs which must be fed on poisoned bread, natures so doomed that no prosperity can sooth their ragged and disheveled desolation.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The wheel that squeaks the loudest is the one that gets the grease.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
One chops the wood, the other does the grunting.
—Yiddish Proverb
I doubt anyone will ever see—anywhere—a memorial to a pessimist.
—Unknown
Depend upon it, that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him: for where there is nothing but pure misery, there never is any mention of it.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.
—Anthony J. D’Angelo
I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
—Hebrew Proverb
If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) Polish-born American Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
He that falls by himself never cries.
—Turkish Proverb
The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.
—George Will (b.1941) American Columnist, Author, Commentator
A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities; an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
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
It is a general popular error to suppose the loudest complainers for the public to be the most anxious for its welfare.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
It is wisdom in prosperity, when all is as thou wouldn’t have it, to fear and suspect the worst.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Constant complaint is the poorest sort of pay for all the comforts we enjoy.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
A pessimist is one who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
—William Lonsdale Watkinson (1838–1925) English Congregationalist Theologian, Author
The pessimist sees only the tunnel; the optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel; the realist sees the tunnel and the light – and the next tunnel.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
The usual fortune of complaint is to excite contempt more than pity.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists.
—Don Marquis (1878–1937) American Humorist, Journalist, Author
Don’t complain that you are not getting what you want, Just be glad you are not getting what you deserve!
—Unknown
A pessimist is a man who has been compelled to live with an optimist.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Nobody can tell what I suffer! But it is always so. Those who do not complain are never pitied.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
When complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
To hear complaints is tiresome to the miserable and the happy.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
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