WIST Quotations

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2010-05-07)

Dave — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:50:36 +0000

We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, Miss Manners believes, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2010-05-07)
(Source)

Foglio, Phil -- Agatha H. and the Siege of Mechanicsburg (2020) [with Kaja Foglio]

Dave — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:29:01 +0000

A secret lab is considered by many to be the physical manifestation of a spark’s mind. Thus they tend to be rather individualistic. Some are spotlessly clean; some are filled with dangerous trash. Some are ruthlessly efficient; some are filled with suicidal deathtraps. Needless to say, sparks are usually vocally dismissive of the labs of others, while surreptitiously making notes about things they’d wished they’d thought of themselves.

Phil Foglio (b. 1956) American writer, cartoonist
Agatha H. and the Siege of Mechanicsburg (2020) [with Kaja Foglio]

Chesterfield (Lord) -- Letter to his son, #167 (29 Oct 1748)

Dave — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 18:29:41 +0000

Remember, that the wit, humor, and jokes of most mixed companies are local. They thrive in that particular soil, but will not often bear transplanting. Every company is differently circumstanced, has its particular cant, and jargon; which may give occasion to wit and mirth, within that circle, but would seem flat and insipid in any other, and therefore will not bear repeating.

Lord Chesterfield (1694–1773) English statesman, wit [Philip Dormer Stanhope]
Letter to his son, #167 (29 Oct 1748)
(Source)

Ingersoll, Robert Green -- “The Limits of Toleration,” Speech, Nineteenth Century Club of New York (8 May 1888)

Dave — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 20:49:17 +0000

The only reason why we wish to exchange thoughts is that we are different. If we were all the same, we would die dumb. No thought would be expressed after we found that our thoughts were precisely alike. We differ — our thoughts are different. Therefore the commerce that we call conversation.

Robert Green Ingersoll (1833–1899) American lawyer, freethinker, orator
“The Limits of Toleration,” Speech, Nineteenth Century Club of New York (8 May 1888)
(Source)

Adams, John -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 06:04:57 +0000

The only thing most people do better than anyone else is read their own handwriting.

John Adams (1735–1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797–1801)
(Attributed)

Storr, Anthony -- Feet of Clay: Saints, Sinners and Madmen, ch. 10 (1996)

Dave — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 05:30:23 +0000

Idiosyncratic belief systems which are shared by only a few adherents are likely to be regarded as delusional. Belief systems which may be just as irrational but which are shared by millions are called world religions. When comparing the beliefs held by psychotics with the religious beliefs held by normal people, it is impossible to say that one set of beliefs is delusional while the other is sane.

Anthony Storr (1920–2001) English psychiatrist and author
Feet of Clay: Saints, Sinners and Madmen, ch. 10 (1996)
(Source)

Maher, Bill -- “Bill Maher, Incorrect American Patriot,” Interview with Sharon Waxman, Washington Post (8 Nov 2002)

Dave — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 01:51:48 +0000

You know, here in America we’re loyal to our flaws. It’s like, if we change even our flaws there’s something wrong.

William "Bill" Maher (b. 1956) American comedian, political commentator, critic, television host.
“Bill Maher, Incorrect American Patriot,” Interview with Sharon Waxman, Washington Post (8 Nov 2002)
(Source)

Bacon, Francis -- Essay (1612), “Of Beauty,” Essays, No. 43 (1625)

Dave — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:08:47 +0000

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English philosopher, scientist, author, statesman
Essay (1612), “Of Beauty,” Essays, No. 43 (1625)
(Source)

See Baudelaire (1855).

Lynn, Jonathan -- Yes, Prime Minister, 01×07 “The Bishop’s Gambit” (BBC2 Television) (1986-02-20) [with Antony Jay]

Dave — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:53:19 +0000

BERNARD: It’s one of those irregular verbs, isn’t it: I have an independent mind, you are eccentric, he is round the twist.

Jonathan Lynn (b. 1943) English actor, comedy writer, director
Yes, Prime Minister, 01×07 “The Bishop’s Gambit” (BBC2 Television) (1986-02-20) [with Antony Jay]

Feynman, Richard -- The Character of Physical Laws ch. 3 “The Great Conservation Principles” (1965)

Dave — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:07:33 +0000

For those who want some proof that physicists are human, the proof is in the idiocy of all the different units which they use for measuring energy.

Richard Feynman (1918–1988) American physicist
The Character of Physical Laws ch. 3 “The Great Conservation Principles” (1965)
(Source)