WIST Quotations

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (1993-03-07)

Dave — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:21:33 +0000

Eating grapes with a knife and fork is not what one would call refined. It is what one would call ludicrous.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (1993-03-07)
(Source)

See also Miss Manners (1979).

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Column (1943-08-13), “My Day”

Dave — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:59:37 +0000

It seems to me that it is the part of common sense for the world as a whole to protest in its own interest against wholesale persecution, because none of us by ourselves would be strong enough to stand against a big enough group which decided to treat us in the same way. We may have our individual likes and dislikes, but this is a question which far transcends prejudices or inclinations.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the US (1933–1945), politician, diplomat, activist
Column (1943-08-13), “My Day”
(Source)

On the persecution of Jews in Europe.

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Speech (1910-04-23), “Citizenship in a Republic [The Man in the Arena],” Sorbonne, Paris

Dave — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:26:29 +0000

Self-restraint, self-mastery, common sense, the power of accepting individual responsibility and yet of acting in conjunction with others, courage and resolution — these are the qualities which mark a masterful people. Without them no people can control itself, or save itself from being controlled from the outside.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901–1909)
Speech (1910-04-23), “Citizenship in a Republic [The Man in the Arena],” Sorbonne, Paris
(Source)

Mencken, H. L. -- A Book of Burlesques, “The Jazz Webster” (1924)

Dave — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 17:05:18 +0000

PLATITUDE. An idea (a) that is admitted to be true by everyone, and (b) that is not true.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
A Book of Burlesques, “The Jazz Webster” (1924)
(Source)

See his definition of "epigram."

Variant:

Platitude — An idea (a) that is admitted to be true by everyone, and (b) that is not true.
[Chrestomathy, ch. 30 "Sententiae" (1949)]

Shaw, George Bernard -- (Spurious)

Dave — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 20:17:24 +0000

Common sense is not a gift. It’s a punishment, because you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish playwright and critic
(Spurious)

Author unknown. Frequently attributed to Shaw, but not found in his writing.

Butler, Judith -- “A ‘Bad Writer’ Bites Back,” The New York Times (20 Mar 1999)

Dave — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:25:39 +0000

Many quite nefarious ideologies pass for common sense. For decades of American history, it was common sense in some quarters for white people to own slaves and for women not to vote. If common sense sometimes preserves the social status quo, and that status quo sometimes treats unjust social hierarchies as natural, it makes good sense on such occasions to find ways of challenging common sense.

Judith Butler (b. 1956) American philosopher and gender theorist
“A ‘Bad Writer’ Bites Back,” The New York Times (20 Mar 1999)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- (Spurious)

Dave — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:24:02 +0000

Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
(Spurious)

Not found in Emerson's writings. Author remains unknown.

Colton, Charles Caleb -- Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Vol. 1, § 48 (1820)

Dave — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:17:04 +0000

Pedantry prides herself on being wrong by rules; while common sense is contented to be right without them.

Charles Caleb "C. C." Colton (1780-1832) English cleric, writer, aphorist
Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Vol. 1, § 48 (1820)
(Source)

Montgomery, Lucy Maud -- Anne of the Island, ch. 2 (1915)

Dave — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:38:58 +0000

But feeling is so different from knowing. My common sense tells me all you can say, but there are times when common sense has no power over me. Common nonsense takes possession of my soul.

Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) Canadian author
Anne of the Island, ch. 2 (1915)
(Source)

Clifford, William Kingdon -- “The Ethics of Belief,” Part 2 “The Weight of Authority,” Contemporary Review (Jan 1877)

Dave — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 17:28:13 +0000

The rule which should guide us in such cases is simple and obvious enough: that the aggregate testimony of our neighbours is subject to the same conditions as the testimony of any one of them. Namely, we have no right to believe a thing true because everybody says so unless there are good grounds for believing that some one person at least has the means of knowing what is true, and is speaking the truth so far as he knows it. However many nations and generations of men are brought into the witness-box, they cannot testify to anything which they do not know. Every man who has accepted the statement from somebody else, without himself testing and verifying it, is out of court; his word is worth nothing at all. And when we get back at last to the true birth and beginning of the statement, two serious questions must be disposed of in regard to him who first made it: was he mistaken in thinking that he knew about this matter, or was he lying?

William Kingdon Clifford (1845-1879) English mathematician and philosopher
“The Ethics of Belief,” Part 2 “The Weight of Authority,” Contemporary Review (Jan 1877)
(Source)

Morley, John -- “Aphorisms,” speech, Edinburgh (1887)

Dave — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 13:37:15 +0000

The essence of aphorism is the compression of a mass of thought and observation into a single saying. It is the very opposite of dissertation and declamation; its distinction is not so much ingenuity, as good sense brought to a point.

John Morley (1838-1923) English statesman, journalist, writer [John, Viscount Morley]
“Aphorisms,” speech, Edinburgh (1887)
(Source)

Chamfort, Nicolas -- Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionée], Part 1 “Maxims and Thoughts [Maximes et Pensées],” ch. 2, ¶ 130 (1795) [tr. Mathers (1926)]

Dave — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 00:46:11 +0000

It is safe to wager that every public idea and every accepted convention is sheer foolishness, because it has suited the majority.

[Il y a à parier que toute idée publique, toute convention reçue, est une sottise, car elle a convenu au plus grand nombre.]

Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794) French writer, epigrammist (b. Nicolas-Sébastien Roch)
Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionée], Part 1 “Maxims and Thoughts [Maximes et Pensées],” ch. 2, ¶ 130 (1795) [tr. Mathers (1926)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

It may be argued that every public idea, every accepted convention, is a piece of stupidity, for has it not commended itself to the greatest number?
[tr. Hutchinson (1902), "The Cynic's Breviary"]

One can be certain that every generally held idea, every received notion, will be an idiocy, because it has been able to appeal to a majority.
[In Botton, Status Anxiety (2004)]

It is likely that every public idea, every received convention, is folly, because the majority of men consented to it.
[Siniscalchi (1994)]

Ames, Fisher -- “No Revolutionist,” The Palladium (Nov 1801)

Dave — Thu, 05 May 2016 14:44:06 +0000

Popular reason does not always know how to act right, nor does it always act right when it knows.

Fisher Ames (1758-1808) American politician, orator
“No Revolutionist,” The Palladium (Nov 1801)
(Source)

Arnold, Matthew -- God and the Bible (1875)

Dave — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 16:09:02 +0000

The freethinking of one age is the common sense of the next.

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) English poet and critic
God and the Bible (1875)

See Beecher.

Lewis, Sinclair -- Main Street, ch. 20 (1920)

Dave — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:39:45 +0000

In the manner of one who has just beheld a two-headed calf they repeated that they had “never heard such funny ideas!” They were staggered to learn that a real tangible person, living in Minnesota, and married to their own flesh-and-blood relation, could apparently believe that divorce may not always be immoral; that illegitimate children do not bear any special and guaranteed form of curse; that there are ethical authorities outside of the Hebrew Bible; that men have drunk wine yet not died in the gutter; that the capitalistic system of distribution and the Baptist wedding-ceremony were not known in the Garden of Eden; that mushrooms are as edible as corn-beef hash; that the word “dude” is no longer frequently used; that there are Ministers of the Gospel who accept evolution; that some persons of apparent intelligence and business ability do not always vote the Republican ticket straight; that it is not a universal custom to wear scratchy flannels next the skin in winter; that a violin is not inherently more immoral than a chapel organ; that some poets do not have long hair; and that Jews are not always pedlers or pants-makers.
“Where does she get all them the’ries?” marveled Uncle Whittier Small; while Aunt Bessie inquired, “Do you suppose there’s many folks got notions like hers? My! If there are,” and her tone settled the fact that there were not, “I just don’t know what the world’s coming to!”

Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) American novelist, playwright
Main Street, ch. 20 (1920)
(Source)

Stein, Gertrude -- “Reflection on the Atomic Bomb” (1946), Yale Poetry Review (Dec 1947)

Dave — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 12:57:24 +0000

Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.

Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) American expatriate author, feminist
“Reflection on the Atomic Bomb” (1946), Yale Poetry Review (Dec 1947)
(Source)

Hoffer, Eric -- Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 220 (1955)

Dave — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:49:20 +0000

To spell out the obvious is often to call it into question.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 220 (1955)
(Source)

Jefferson, Thomas -- Letter (1804-06-28) to John Tyler

Dave — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:20:35 +0000

The firmness with which the people have withstood the late abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment between them. As little is it necessary to impose on their senses, or dazzle their minds by pomp, splendor, or forms. Instead of this artificial, how much surer is that real respect, which results from the use of their reason, and the habit of bringing everything to the test of common sense.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) American political philosopher, polymath, statesman, US President (1801-09)
Letter (1804-06-28) to John Tyler
(Source)

Descartes, René -- Discourse on Method [Discours de la méthode], Part 1, Opening Words (1637) [tr. Haldane & Ross (1911)]

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

Good sense is of all things in the world the most equally distributed, for everybody thinks he is so well supplied with it, that even those most difficult to please in all other matters never desire more of it than they already possess.

[Le bon sens est la chose du monde la mieux partagée; car chacun pense en être si bien pourvu, que ceux même qui sont les plus difficiles à contenter en toute autre chose n’ont point coutume d’en désirer plus qu’ils en ont.]

René Descartes (1596-1650) French philosopher, mathematician
Discourse on Method [Discours de la méthode], Part 1, Opening Words (1637) [tr. Haldane & Ross (1911)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

Right understanding is the most equally divided thing in the World; for every one beleevs himself so well stor’d with it, that even those who in all other things are the hardest to be pleas’d, seldom desire more of it then they have.
[Newcombe ed. (1649)]

Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for every one thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess.
[tr. Veitch (1850)]

Good sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world; for everyone thinks himself so well supplied with it, that even those who are hardest ot satisfy in every other way do not usually desire more of it than they already have.
[tr. Ascombe & Geach (1971)]

Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world: for everyone thinks himself so well endowed with it that even those who are hardest to please in everything else do not usually desire more of it than they possess.
[tr. Cottingham, Stoothoff (1985), sec. 1]

Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it.
[Oxford Reference]

Of all things, good sense is the most fairly distributed: everyone thinks he is so well supplied with it that even those who are the hardest to satisfy in every other respect never desire more of it than they already have.

Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.

Mencken, H. L. -- “The Divine Afflatus,” New York Evening Mail (16 Nov 1917)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 18:00:00 +0000

Explanations exist; they have existed for all time; there is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
“The Divine Afflatus,” New York Evening Mail (16 Nov 1917)
(Source)

Reprinted in Prejudices: Second Series (1920) and A Mencken Chrestomathy, ch. 25 (1949).

Variants:

"There is always an easy solution to every human problem -- neat, plausible, and wrong."
"For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong."

Rogers, Will -- Column (1934-03-16) “Daily Telegram: Rogers Doubts We Want Insull Back Very Much”

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

You can’t legislate intelligence and common sense into people.

Will Rogers (1879-1935) American humorist
Column (1934-03-16) “Daily Telegram: Rogers Doubts We Want Insull Back Very Much”
(Source)

The Will Rogers Museum also cites it as a quotation, but in a pair of sentences; the second sentence was not in this column:

You can’t legislate intelligence and common sense into people. You can’t broaden a man’s vision if he wasn’t born with one.

Johnson, Samuel -- Essay (1759-05-19), The Idler, No. 57

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

Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rules on composition: it produces vigilance rather than elevation, rather prevents loss than procures advantage; and often escapes miscarriages but seldom reaches either power or honour. It quenches that ardour of enterprise by which every thing is done that can claim praise or admiration; and represses that generous temerity which often fails and often succeeds. Rules may obviate faults, but can never confer beauties; and prudence keeps life safe, but does not often make it happy.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
Essay (1759-05-19), The Idler, No. 57
(Source)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Essay (1841), “Art,” Essays: First Series, No. 12

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1841), “Art,” Essays: First Series, No. 12
(Source)

Einstein, Albert -- (Spurious)

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

Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-American physicist
(Spurious)

Not found in Einstein's writings. There is no evidence of Einstein saying or writing anything like this. It's deemed probably not an Einstein quotation by Einstein scholar Alice Calaprice, The Expanded Quotable Einstein (2000).

Variants:

As Einstein has pointed out, common sense is actually nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind prior to the age of eighteen.
[Lincoln Barnett, "The Universe and Dr. Einstein, Part 2," Harper's Magazine (May 1948), reprinted in The Universe and Dr. Einstein (1950); Einstein wrote the foreword to the book.]

Common sense is that layer of prejudices which we acquire before we are sixteen.
[E. T. Bell, Mathematics, Queen and Servant of the Sciences (1951)]

More discussion of this quotation: Common Sense Is Nothing More Than a Deposit of Prejudices Laid Down in the Mind Before Age Eighteen – Quote Investigator.