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
The usual fortune of complaint is to excite contempt more than pity.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
—Hebrew Proverb
It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
—William Lonsdale Watkinson (1838–1925) English Congregationalist Theologian, Author
Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows shot up into the air at no target: and with no purpose they only fall back upon our own heads and destroy ourselves.
—William Temple (1881–1944) English Theologian, Archbishop
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
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
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
There is one topic peremptorily forbidden to all well-bred, to all rational mortals, namely, their distempers. If you have not slept, or if you have slept, or if you have headache, or sciatica, or leprosy, or thunder-stroke, I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
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
A pessimist is one who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
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
We lose the right of complaining sometimes, by denying something, but this often triples its force.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
A pessimist is a man who thinks everybody as nasty as himself, and hates them for it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
Constant complaint is the poorest sort of pay for all the comforts we enjoy.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
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
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
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
Cynicism is intellectual dandyism.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
A pessimist is a man who has been compelled to live with an optimist.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
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
Complaint is the largest tribute Heaven receives.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
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
The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Optimism doesn’t wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time.
—Norman Cousins (1912–1990) American Political Journalist
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
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