WIST Quotations

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶267 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]

Dave — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 06:31:46 +0000

Our readiness to think ill of people without sufficiently examining the matter is based on laziness and pride. We want to find people guilty, we don’t want the bother of studying their crimes.

[La promptitude à croire le mal, sans l’avoir assez examiné, est un effet de l’orgueil et de la paresse: on veut trouver des coupables, et on ne veut pas se donner la peine d’examiner les crimes.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶267 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]
(Source)

Present in the 1st Edition. Variant: "... un effet de la paresse et de l'orguieil."

Another 1665 variant:

La promptitude avec laquelle nous croyons le mal, sans l’avoir assez examiné, est un effet de la paresse et de l’orgueil.

[The readiness with which we believe evil, without having examined it sufficiently, is an effect of laziness and pride.]

Manuscript variant: "... est souvent un effet de paresse, qui se joint à l’orgueil [... is often an effect of laziness, combined with pride]."

(Source (French)). Other translations:

A readiness to believe Ill, before we have duly Examined it, is the Effect of Laziness and Pride. Men are pleased to find Others to Blame and loth to give Themselves the Trouble of Enquiring, how far, and whether they are so, or not.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶268]

A readiness to believe ill without examination is the effect of pride and laziness. We are willing to find people guilty, and unwilling to be at the trouble of examining into the accusation.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶245; ed. Lepoittevin-Lacroix (1797), ¶250]

A willingness to believe ill, without examination, is the effect of pride and idleness. We are ready to suppose guilt, but unwilling to be at the trouble of examining into the accusation.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶214]

Readiness; to believe evil without sufficient examination is the result of pride and indolence. We wish to find people guilty, and we do not wish to give ourselves the trouble of examining into the crimes.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶278]

A quickness in believing evil without having sufficiently examined it, is the effect of pride and laziness. We wish to find the guilty, and we do not wish to trouble ourselves in examining the crime.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶267]

A ready belief of evil without examining the facts is a form of pride, or of indolence. We are anxious to ferret out criminals without taking the pains of examining their crimes.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶275]

Readiness to believe evil without adequate inquiry is the result of pride and indolence. We like detecting criminals, but we dislike the labor of investigating crimes.
[tr. Stevens (1939), ¶267]

The promptitude with which we will believe evil of others, without an adequate examination of the facts, is an effect of pride working with laziness. We wish to find the guilty men, and cannot be be bothered to study the crime.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶267]

Readiness to believe the worst without adequate examination comes from pride and laziness; we want to find culprits but cannot be bothered to investigate the crimes.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶267]

A readiness to believe evil without sufficient examination, it is an effect both of pride and of idleness. On the one hand, we desire to find other people guilty; and on the other, we do not wish to take the pains necessary to examine their crimes.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶267]

Jong, Erica -- How to Save Your Own Life (1977)

Dave — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:55:34 +0000

Jealousy is all the fun you think they had ….

Erica Jong (b. 1942) American writer, poet
How to Save Your Own Life (1977)
(Source)

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Trump Kards, ch. 14 “A Ghost” (1874)

Dave — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:22:56 +0000

When yu hav bored the bulls eye, set down, and keep still, folks will think then that yu kan hit it enny time you hav a mind to.

[When you have bored the bullseye, sit down, and keep still; folks will think then that you can hit it any time you have a mind to.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Trump Kards, ch. 14 “A Ghost” (1874)
(Source)

Taleb, Nassim Nicholas -- The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms, “Postface” (2010)

Dave — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 17:48:20 +0000

Because our minds need to reduce information, we are more likely to try to squeeze a phenomenon into the Procrustean bed of a crisp and known category (amputating the unknown), rather than suspend categorization, and make it tangible. Thanks to our detections of false patterns, along with real ones, what is random will appear less random and more certain — our overactive brains are more likely to impose the wrong, simplistic, narrative than no narrative at all.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb (b. 1960) Lebanese-American essayist, statistician, risk analyst, aphorist
The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms, “Postface” (2010)
(Source)

Jacobs, Joseph -- Dark Age Ahead, “Notes and Comments” (2004)

Dave — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 21:05:43 +0000

I have learned yet again (this has been going on all my life) what folly it is to take anything for granted without examining it skeptically.

Joseph Jacobs (1854-1916) Australian folklorist, literary critic, historian writer
Dark Age Ahead, “Notes and Comments” (2004)
(Source)

Cox, Marcelene -- “Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1944-06)

Dave — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 18:50:49 +0000

Narrow-mindedness: allowing one’s prejudices to become convictions.

Marcelene Cox (1900-1998) American writer, columnist, aphorist
“Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1944-06)
(Source)

Taylor, A. J. P. -- “What Else Indeed?” New York Review of Books (5 Aug 1965)

Dave — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:49:07 +0000

They had all been brought up, as we still are, to believe in “the deterrent.” Firm resolve, a readiness to threaten war, would avert war itself. Some Power would always give way. This usually happened, indeed happened so often that the wisdom of the method seemed sure. In 1914 all the Powers, for different reasons, expected the yielding to come from the other side.

A. J. P. Taylor (1906-1990) British historian, journalist, broadcaster [Alan John Percivale Taylor]
“What Else Indeed?” New York Review of Books (5 Aug 1965)
(Source)

Solzhenitsen, Alexander -- The Gulag Archipelago, Vol. 2 (1974) [tr. Whitney]

Dave — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 15:35:33 +0000

But, however tardily, I nonetheless caught myself and realized I had always devoted my time and attention to people who fascinated me and were pleasant, who engaged my sympathy, and that as a result I was seeing society like the Moon, always from one side.

Alexander Solzhenitsen (1918-2008) Russian novelist, emigre [Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn]
The Gulag Archipelago, Vol. 2 (1974) [tr. Whitney]
(Source)

Watts, Alan -- “The Relevance of Oriental Philosophy” (c. 1964)

Dave — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 17:51:03 +0000

You see, a philosopher is a sort of intellectual yokel who gawks at things that sensible people take for granted.

Alan Watts (1915-1973) Anglo-American philosopher, writer
“The Relevance of Oriental Philosophy” (c. 1964)
(Source)

Collected in Eastern Wisdom, Modern Life, ch. 6 (2006). Variant: "A philosopher is a sort of intellectual yokel who gawks at things, like existence, that ordinary people take for granted."

Snicket, Lemony -- The Hostile Hospital (2001)

Dave — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 17:41:54 +0000

Of all the ridiculous expressions people use — and people use a great many ridiculous expressions — one of the most ridiculous is “No news is good news.” “No news is good news” simply means that if you don’t hear from someone, everything is probably fine, and you can see at once why this expression makes such little sense because everything being fine is only one of many, many reasons why someone may not contact you. Perhaps they are tied up. Maybe they are surrounded by fierce weasels, or perhaps they are wedged tightly between two refrigerators and cannot get themselves out. The expression might as well be changed to “no news is bad news,” except that people may not be able to contact you because they have just been crowned king or are competing in a gymnastics tournament. The point is that there is no way to know why someone has not contacted you until they contact you and explain themselves. For this reason, the sensible expression would be “no news is no news,” except that it is so obvious that it is hardly an expression at all.

Lemony Snicket (b. 1970) American author, screenwriter, musician (pseud. for Daniel Handler)
The Hostile Hospital (2001)

Mill, John Stuart -- On Liberty, ch. 2 “Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion” (1959)

Dave — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 18:20:01 +0000

There is no such thing as absolute certainty, but there is assurance sufficient for the purposes of human life.

John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) English philosopher and economist
On Liberty, ch. 2 “Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion” (1959)
(Source)

Mill is actually describing an argument he goes on to counter.

Snicket, Lemony -- The Austere Academy (2000)

Dave — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:58:17 +0000

Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make — bombs for instance, or strawberry shortcake — if you make even the tiniest mistake you can find yourself in terrible trouble. Making assumptions simply means believing things are a certain way with little or no evidence that shows you are correct, and you can see how this can lead to terrible trouble. For instance, one morning you might wake up and make the assumption that your bed was in the same place that it always was, even though you would have no real evidence that this was so. But when you got out of your bed, you might discover that it has floated out to sea, and now you would be in terrible trouble all because of the incorrect assumption that you’d made. You can see that it is better not to make too many assumptions, particularly in the morning.

Lemony Snicket (b. 1970) American author, screenwriter, musician (pseud. for Daniel Handler)
The Austere Academy (2000)

Robinson, James Harvey -- The Mind in the Making, ch. 4 “Rationalizing” (1921)

Dave — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 15:26:14 +0000

Few of us take the pains to study the origin of our cherished convictions; indeed, we have a natural repugnance to so doing. We like to continue to believe what we have been accustomed to accept as true, and the resentment aroused when doubt is cast upon any of our assumptions leads us to seek every manner of excuse for clinging to them. The result is that most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do.

James Harvey Robinson (1863-1936) American historian and educator
The Mind in the Making, ch. 4 “Rationalizing” (1921)
(Source)

Lorde, Audre -- “Notes from a Trip to Russia,” Sister Outsider (1984)

Dave — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:34:57 +0000

We are all more blind to what we have than to what we have not.

Audre Lorde (1934-1992) American writer, feminist, civil rights activist
“Notes from a Trip to Russia,” Sister Outsider (1984)
(Source)

Card, Orson Scott -- Speaker for the Dead (1986)

Dave — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:21:40 +0000

This is how humans are: We question all our beliefs, except for the ones we really believe, and those we never think to question.

Orson Scott Card (b. 1951) American author
Speaker for the Dead (1986)
(Source)

Thurber, James -- “Ivory, Apes, and People,” Further Fables for Our Time (1956)

Dave — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 19:45:31 +0000

Men of all degrees should form this prudent habit:
Never serve a rabbit stew before you catch the rabbit.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American humorist, cartoonist, writer
“Ivory, Apes, and People,” Further Fables for Our Time (1956)

Newman, John -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:40:28 +0000

Ability hits the mark where presumption overshoots and diffidence falls short.

John Henry Newman (1801-1890) English prelate, Catholic Cardinal, theologian
(Attributed)

Also attributed to Golda Meir.

Lorenz, Konrad -- On Aggression, ch. 2 (1966)

Dave — Tue, 09 May 2017 23:08:55 +0000

It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.

Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) Austrian zoologist, ethologist, ornithologist
On Aggression, ch. 2 (1966)
(Source)

Tavris, Carol -- Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts (2008) [with Elliot Aronson]

Dave — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 03:07:30 +0000

At its core, therefore, science is a form of arrogance control.

Carol Tavris (b. 1944) American social psychologist and author
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts (2008) [with Elliot Aronson]

Alda, Alan -- Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself, ch. 2 “Lingering at the Door” (2007)

Dave — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:59:05 +0000

Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in. If you challenge your own, you won’t be so quick to accept the unchallenged assumptions of others. You’ll be a lot less likely to be caught up in bias or prejudice or be influenced by people who ask you to hand over your brains, your soul, or your money because they have everything all figured out for you.

Alan Alda (b. 1936) American actor [b. Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo]
Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself, ch. 2 “Lingering at the Door” (2007)
(Source)

Originally given at the commencement speech at Connecticut College in May, 1980, where his daughter Eve was graduating.

Bolt, Robert -- A Man for All Seasons, play, Act 2 (1960)

Dave — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:10:51 +0000

MORE: I will not take the oath. I will not tell you why I will not.

NORFOLK: Then your reasons must be treasonable!

MORE: Not “must be”; may be.

NORFOLK: It’s a fair assumption!

MORE: The law requires more than an assumption; the law requires a fact.

Robert Bolt (1924-1995) English dramatist
A Man for All Seasons, play, Act 2 (1960)
(Source)

The 1966 film adaptation uses the same language.

Russell, Bertrand -- “An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish,” Unpopular Essays (1950)

Dave — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:17:44 +0000

To avoid the various foolish opinions to which mankind are prone, no superhuman genius is required. A few simple rules will keep you, not from all error, but from silly error. If the matter is one that can be settled by observation, make the observation yourself. Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men, by the simple device of asking Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted. He did not do so because he thought he knew. Thinking that you know when in fact you don’t is a fatal mistake, to which we are all prone. I believe myself that hedgehogs eat black beetles, because I have been told that they do; but if I were writing a book on the habits of hedgehogs, I should not commit myself until I had seen one enjoying this unappetizing diet.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English mathematician and philosopher
“An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish,” Unpopular Essays (1950)

Barrie, James -- Speech (1922-05-03), “Courage,” Rectoral Address, University of St. Andrews, Scotland

Dave — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:44:10 +0000

Never ascribe to an opponent motives meaner than your own.

J. M. Barrie (1860-1937) Scottish novelist and dramatist [James Matthew Barrie]
Speech (1922-05-03), “Courage,” Rectoral Address, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
(Source)

Tuchman, Barbara -- The Guns of August (1962)

Dave — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:29:34 +0000

War is the unfolding of miscalculations.

Barbara W. Tuchman (1912-1989) American historian and author
The Guns of August (1962)

In Stilwell and the American Experience in China (1970), she gave this as "History is the unfolding of miscalculations."

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 2478 (1732)

Dave — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:21:19 +0000

Health is not valued, till Sickness comes.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 2478 (1732)
(Source)

Macaulay, Thomas Babington -- “Hallam’s Constitutional History,” Edinburgh Review (Sep 1828)

Dave — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:12:36 +0000

To punish a man because he has committed a crime, or because he is believed, though unjustly, to have committed a crime, is not persecution. To punish a man, because we infer from the nature of some doctrine which he holds, or from the conduct of other persons who hold the same doctrines with him, that he will commit a crime, is persecution, and is, in every case, foolish and wicked.

Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859) English writer and politician
“Hallam’s Constitutional History,” Edinburgh Review (Sep 1828)
(Source)

Review of Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England, from the Accession of Henry VII to George II (1827).

Broca, Paul -- “Quelques propositions sur les tumeurs dites cancéreuses” (16 Apr 1849)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

The least questioned assumptions are often the most questionable.

Paul Broca (1824-1880) French pathologist, neurosurgeon, anthropologist
“Quelques propositions sur les tumeurs dites cancéreuses” (16 Apr 1849)

Huxley, Aldous -- Essay (1950), “Variations on a Philosopher,” Themes and Variations

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) English novelist, essayist and critic
Essay (1950), “Variations on a Philosopher,” Themes and Variations
(Source)

Russell, Bertrand -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

In all affairs — love, religion, politics or business — it’s a healthy idea, now and then, to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English mathematician and philosopher
(Attributed)

Widely attributed to Russell, but not found in any of his online published works or cited to any source.

There are numerous variations on this quote, e.g.,

In all affairs it's a healthy idea now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have taken for granted.

And mixes and matches between those two.

Earliest references of long-form quotation I could find:

I also found in Alexander Chittick, Social Evolution, "The Evolution of Capital and Labor" (1919), regarding the plight of laborers:

They should be taught [...] to take nothing for granted in love, religion, politics, or business.

The combination of taking for granted and the same list of four affair topics seems more than coincidence. Was Chittick riffing off of an unfound Russell comment? Did someone attribute a variation of Chittick's passage to Russell? The answer is unclear.

Marcus Aurelius -- Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 6, ch. 19 (6.19) (AD 161-180) [tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Do not suppose that if you personally find that something is hard to achieve, it is therefore beyond human capacity; rather, if something is possible and appropriate for human beings, assume that it must also be within your own reach.

[Μή, εἴ τι αὐτῷ σοὶ δυσκαταπόνητον, τοῦτο ἀνθρώπῳ ἀδύνατον ὑπολαμβάνειν, ἀλλ̓ εἴ τι ἀνθρώπῳ δυνατὸν καὶ οἰκεῖον, τοῦτο καὶ σεαυτῷ ἐφικτὸν νόμιζε.]

Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 6, ch. 19 (6.19) (AD 161-180) [tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]
(Source)

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

Do not ever conceive anything impossible to man, which by thee cannot, or not without much difficulty be effected; but whatsoever in general thou canst Conceive possible and proper unto any man, think that very possible unto thee also.
[tr. Casaubon (1634), 6.18]

Because you find a Thing very difficult, don't presently conclude that no Man can master it. But whatever you observe proper, and practicable by Another, believe likewise within your own power.
[tr. Collier (1701)]

If any thing seems exceedingly difficult for you to accomplish, don’t conclude it to be impossible to all men: but rather, if you see any thing possible to man, and a part of his proper work, conclude that you also may attain to it.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]

Do not conclude, because you find a thing difficult, that therefore it is beyond the power of man to perform. But, whatever you see practicable by other men, if it be proper to be done, be assured it is in your power to perform.
[tr. Graves (1792), 6.18]

If a thing is difficult to be accomplished by thyself, do not think that it is impossible for man: but if anything is possible for man and conformable to his nature, think that this can be attained by thyself too.
[tr. Long (1862)]

Because you find a thing very difficult, do not at once conclude that no man can master it. But whatever you observe proper and practicable by another, believe likewise within your power.
[tr. Collier/Zimmern (1887)]

Do not think that what is hard for thee to master is impossible for man; but if a thing is possible and proper to man, deem it attainable by thee.
[tr. Morgan (1894)]

Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.
[tr. Rendall (1898)]

If a thing seems to you very difficult to accomplish, conclude not that it is beyond human power. But, if you see that anything is within man’s power, and part of his proper work, conclude that you also may attain to it.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]

Because thou findest a thing difficult for thyself to accomplish do not conceive it to be impracticable for others; but whatever is possible for a man and in keeping with his nature consider also attainable by thyself.
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]

Do not because a thing is hard for you yourself to accomplish, imagine that it is humanly impossible: but if a thing is humanly possible and appropriate, consider it also to be within your own reach.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]

Because a thing is difficult for you, do not therefore suppose it to be beyond mortal power. On the contrary, if anything is possible and proper for men to do, assume that it must fall within your own capacity.
[tr. Staniforth (1964)]

Do not suppose that, if you find something hard to achieve, it is beyond human capacity; rather, if something is possible and appropriate for man, assume that it must also be within your own reach.
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]

Not to assume it's impossible because you find it hard. But to recognize that if it's humanly possible, you can do it too.
[tr. Hays (2003)]

Do not imagine that, if something is hard for you to achieve, it is therefore impossible for any man: but rather consider anything that is humanly possible and appropriate to lie within your own reach too.
[tr. Hammond (2006)]

If something is difficult for you to accomplish, do not then think it impossible for any human being; rather, if it is humanly possible and corresponds to human nature, know that it is attainable by you as well.
[tr. Needleman/Piazza (2008)]

If something is exceedingly hard for you to do, don’t suppose that it is impossible for a human, but if it is something possible and suitable for a human, think that it is within your power as well.
[tr. @aleator (2012)]

If something is hard for you to achieve, do not suppose that it is beyond human capacity; rather, if something is possible and suitable for human beings, consider that it is within your reach too.
[tr. Gill (2013)]