WIST Quotations

Kingsolver, Barbara -- Essay (1995), “Civil Disobedience at Breakfast,” High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now or Never

Dave — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:59:57 +0000

The most assiduous task of parenting is to divine the difference between boundaries and bondage.

Barbara Kingsolver (b. 1955) American novelist, essayist, poet
Essay (1995), “Civil Disobedience at Breakfast,” High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now or Never
(Source)

Colette, Sidonie-Gabrielle -- My Mother’s House [La Maison de Claudine], “The Priest on the Wall [Le curé sur le mur]” (1922) [tr. Troubridge/McLeod (1949)]

Dave — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:16:01 +0000

It is not a bad thing that children should occasionally, and politely, put parents in their place.

[Il n’est pas mauvais que les enfants remettent de temps en temps, avec politesse, les parents à leur place.]

Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954) French writer
My Mother’s House [La Maison de Claudine], “The Priest on the Wall [Le curé sur le mur]” (1922) [tr. Troubridge/McLeod (1949)]
(Source)

(Source (French))

Taleb, Nassim Nicholas -- The Black Swan, Part 1, ch. 1 “The Apprenticeship of an Empirical Skeptic” (2007)

Dave — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:17:55 +0000

Categorizing is necessary for humans, but it becomes pathological when the category is seen as definitive, preventing people from considering the fuzziness of boundaries, let alone revising their categories.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb (b. 1960) Lebanese-American essayist, statistician, risk analyst, aphorist
The Black Swan, Part 1, ch. 1 “The Apprenticeship of an Empirical Skeptic” (2007)
(Source)

Pratchett, Terry -- Good Omens, Foreword (2006 ed.) [with Neil Gaiman]

Dave — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 22:02:54 +0000

Etiquette tip: It’s okay, more or less, to ask an author to sign your arm, but not good manners to then nip around to the tattoo parlor next door and return half an hour later to show them the inflamed result.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Good Omens, Foreword (2006 ed.) [with Neil Gaiman]
(Source)

Whedon, Joss -- Firefly, 1×02 “The Train Job” [with Tim Minear] (20 Sep 2002)

Dave — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:30:48 +0000

INARA: What did I say to you about barging into my shuttle?

MAL: That it was manly and impulsive?

INARA: Yes, precisely. Only the exact phrase I used was, “Don’t.”

Joss Whedon (b. 1964) American screenwriter, author, producer [Joseph Hill Whedon]
Firefly, 1×02 “The Train Job” [with Tim Minear] (20 Sep 2002)