WIST Quotations

Shakespeare, William -- King Lear, Act 1, sc. 1, l. 136 (1.1.136) (1606)

Dave — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:37:00 +0000

LEAR: Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
King Lear, Act 1, sc. 1, l. 136 (1.1.136) (1606)
(Source)

Filkins, Dexter -- “The Moral Logic of Humanitarian Intervention,” New Yorker (16 Sep 2019)

Dave — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 20:37:22 +0000

The moral case for intervention is only as strong as the practicality of the mission itself. There is no moral case for doing something you’re not capable of doing.

Dexter Filkins (b. 1961) American journalist
“The Moral Logic of Humanitarian Intervention,” New Yorker (16 Sep 2019)
(Source)

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- “Regarding the Situation in the Formosa Straits,” broadcast speech (11 Sep 1958)

Dave — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 21:39:14 +0000

I know something about that war, and I never want to see that history repeated. But, my fellow Americans, it certainly can be repeated if the peace-loving democratic nations again fearfully practice a policy of standing idly by while big aggressors use armed force to conquer the small and weak.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969) American general, US President (1953-61)
“Regarding the Situation in the Formosa Straits,” broadcast speech (11 Sep 1958)

Douglass, Frederick -- (Attributed)

Dave — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:09:51 +0000

I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) American abolitionist, orator, writer
(Attributed)

Mentioned frequently as being part of his earlier speeches, but unsourced. Also found as "failed to see the slightest scintillation of an answer until I prayed with my legs."

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- State of the Union Message (2 Feb 1953)

Dave — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 15:10:57 +0000

Government can do a great deal to aid the settlement of labor disputes without allowing itself to be employed as an ally of either side. Its proper role in industrial strife is to encourage the process of mediation and conciliation.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969) American general, US President (1953-61)
State of the Union Message (2 Feb 1953)

Publilius Syrus -- Sententiae [Moral Sayings]

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

Never thrust your sickle into another’s corn.

Publilius Syrus (d. 42 BC) Assyrian slave, writer, philosopher [less correctly Publius Syrus]
Sententiae [Moral Sayings]

Stein, Herb -- Stein’s Law (1980s)

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

If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.

Herb Stein (1916-1999) American economist
Stein’s Law (1980s)
(Source)

This was a frequent statement by Stein. He explained it so:

This proposition, arising first in a discussion of the balance-of-payments deficit, is a response to those who think that if something cannot go on forever, steps must be taken to stop it -- even to stop it at once.

Variants:

"If something can’t go on forever, it won’t."
Anything that can’t go on, won’t.
Trends that can't continue won't.