Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his achievements; Jove is known to strike such people down.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
A pessimist is one who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Intelligence is nothing without delight.
—Paul Claudel (1868–1955) French Poet, Essayist, Dramatist
The usual fortune of complaint is to excite contempt more than pity.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Cynicism is intellectual dandyism.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
One has to have the courage of one’s pessimism.
—Ian McEwan British Novelist, Short-Story Writer
I doubt anyone will ever see—anywhere—a memorial to a pessimist.
—Unknown
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
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
The most prolific period of pessimism comes at twenty-one or thereabouts, when the first attempt is made to translate dreams into reality.
—Heywood Hale Broun (1918–2001) American Journalist, Commentator, Actor
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
One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him.
—Chinese Proverb
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
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
A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists.
—Don Marquis (1878–1937) American Humorist, Journalist, Author
No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Pessimism is an excuse for not trying and a guarantee to a personal failure.
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
—William Lonsdale Watkinson
The wheel that squeaks the loudest is the one that gets the grease.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Complaint is the largest tribute Heaven receives.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Pessimism is as American as apple pie. Frozen apple pie with a slice of processed cheese.
—George Will (b.1941) American Columnist, Journalist, Writer
Pessimists are the people who have no hope for themselves or for others. Pessimists are also people who think the human race is beneath their notice, that they’re better than other human beings.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
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, Journalist, Writer
The tendency to whining and complaining may be taken as the surest sign symptom of little souls and inferior intellects.
—Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773–1850) Scottish Judge, Literary Critic
There is nothing sadder than a young pessimist.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
A pessimist is a man who thinks everybody as nasty as himself, and hates them for it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.
—Samuel Goldwyn (1879–1974) Polish-born American Film Producer, Businessperson
When a person finds themselves predisposed to complaining about how little they are regarded by others, let them reflect how little they have contributed to the happiness of others.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
A pessimist is a man who has been compelled to live with an optimist.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
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 Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
Constant complaint is the poorest sort of pay for all the comforts we enjoy.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The taste for worst-case scenarios reflects the need to master fear of what is felt to be uncontrollable. It also expresses an imaginative complicity with disaster.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
The squeaking wheel doesn’t always get the grease. Sometimes it gets replaced.
—Unknown
He that falls by himself never cries.
—Turkish Proverb
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 think a compliment ought to always precede a complaint, where one is possible, because it softens resentment and insures for the complaint a courteous and gentle reception.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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
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
Pessimism is only the name that men of weak nerve give to wisdom.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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
What do sad complaints avail if the offense is not cut down by punishment.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
—Unknown
I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
—Hebrew Proverb
A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said, “I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one. The grandson asked him, “Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?” The grandfather answered, “The one I feed”.
—Muriel Strode (1875–1964) American Author, Businesswoman
Pessimism never won any battle.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
One chops the wood, the other does the grunting.
—Yiddish Proverb
Never complain. Never explain.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer