WIST Quotations

Bierce, Ambrose -- “Competitor,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1881-08-05)

Dave — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:17:14 +0000

COMPETITOR, n. A scoundrel who desires that which we desire.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Competitor,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1881-08-05)
(Source)

Not collected in later books.

Butler, Octavia -- Parable of the Sower, ch. 9, epigraph (1993)

Dave — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 02:01:47 +0000

All struggles
Are essentially
power struggles.
Who will rule,
Who will lead,
Who will define,
refine,
confine,
design,
Who will dominate.
All struggles
Are essentially
power struggles,
and most
are no more intellectual
than two rams
knocking their heads together.

Octavia Butler (1947-2006) American writer
Parable of the Sower, ch. 9, epigraph (1993)
(Source)

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1875-07 “2 Fakts” (1875 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:24:36 +0000

One ov the most perfekt viktorys yu kan achieve over enny man, iz to beat him in politeness.

[One of the most perfect victories you can achieve over any man, is to beat him in politeness.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1875-07 “2 Fakts” (1875 ed.)
(Source)

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Speech (1899-04-10), “The Strenuous Life,” Hamilton Club, Chicago

Dave — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:08:34 +0000

The twentieth century looms before us big with the fate of many nations. If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen, slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by, and will win for themselves the domination of the world.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901–1909)
Speech (1899-04-10), “The Strenuous Life,” Hamilton Club, Chicago
(Source)

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 172 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]

Dave — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 20:05:57 +0000

Never contend with a Man who has nothing to Lose.

[No empeñarse con quien no tiene qué perder.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 172 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]
(Source)

(Source (Spanish)). Alternate translations:

Never to engage with him that hath nothing to lose.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

Do not engage with him who has nothing to lose.
[tr. Fischer (1937)]

Never compete with someone who has nothing to lose.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Watterson, Bill -- Calvin and Hobbes (1993-05-07)

Dave — Fri, 07 May 2004 11:21:38 +0000

HOBBES: Well, the important thing is that we tried our best.

CALVIN: The important thing is that we lost!

HOBBES: Oops, I always forget the purpose of competition is to divide people into winners and losers.

CALVIN: What’s the point of trying if you can’t be a winner?

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1993-05-07)
(Source)