WIST Quotations

Confucius -- The Analects [論語, 论语, Lúnyǔ], Book 14, verse 30 (14.30) (6th C. BC – AD 3rd C.) [tr. Ames/Rosemont (1998)]

Dave — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:25:55 +0000

Don’t worry about not being recognized by others; worry about not having any reason for them to recognize you.

[不患人之不己知、患其不能也]

Confucius (c. 551- c. 479 BC) Chinese philosopher, sage, politician [孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ, K'ung Fu-tzu, K'ung Fu Tse), 孔子 (Kǒngzǐ, Chungni), 孔丘 (Kǒng Qiū, K'ung Ch'iu)]
The Analects [論語, 论语, Lúnyǔ], Book 14, verse 30 (14.30) (6th C. BC – AD 3rd C.) [tr. Ames/Rosemont (1998)]
(Source)

(Source (Chinese)). Originally numbered by Legge as 14.32, but identified in modern translations as 14.30; the distinction is noted below. See also 1.16, 4.14, 15.19. Alternate translations:

I will not be concerned at men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.
[tr. Legge (1861), 14.32]

My great concern is, not that men do not know me, but that they cannot.
[tr. Jennings (1895), 14.32; Jennings notes the unclear phrase could also mean "but that here is want of ability (in me to know them)."]

Be not concerned that men do not know you =; be concerned that you have no ability.
[tr. Ku Hung-Ming (1898), 14.32]

(A wise man) is not distressed that people do not know him, he is distressed at his own lack of ability.
[tr. Soothill (1910), 14.32]

Not worried that others don't know me, worried by my incapacities.
[tr. Pound (1933), 14.32]

(A gentleman) does not grieve that people do not recognize his merits; he grieves at his own incapacities.
[tr. Waley (1938), 14.32]

Be not concerned over men’s not knowing of you; be concerned rather over your inabilities.
[tr. Ware (1950)]

It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your own lack of them.
[tr. Lau (1979), 14.30]

One does not worry about the fact that other people do not appreciate one. One worries about the fact that one is incapable.
[tr. Dawson (1993), 14.30]

It is not your obscurity that should distress you, but your incompetence.
[tr. Leys (1997), 14.30]

Do not worry about men not knowing you; rather, worry about your incapability.
[tr. Huang (1997), 14.30]

I do not worry about that others do not understand me, just worry about that i have no talent.
[tr. Cai/Yu (1998), 14.30, #370]

He does not worry about others not knowing him; he worries about whether he is capable.
[tr. Brooks/Brooks (1998), 14:30; they consider this a later interpolation, with 4:14 being the actual Confucian saying.]

Don't grieve when people fail to recognize your ability. Grieve for your lack of ability instead.
[tr. Hinton (1998), 14.30]

Do not worry that you are not recognized by others; worry rather that you yourself lack ability.
[tr. Slingerland (2003), 14.30]

Don’t worry about others’ not understanding you. Worry about your own lack of ability.
[tr. Watson (2007), 14.30]

Do not worry that other people do not know you. Be concerned about your own lack of ability.
[tr. Chin (2014), 14.30]

I am not concerned with not being known by others. I am concerned with my lack of ability.
[tr. Li (2020), 14.30]

Fisher, Carrie -- Wishful Drinking, stage show (2009)

Dave — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:37:45 +0000

Celebrity is just obscurity biding its time.

Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) American actress, writer
Wishful Drinking, stage show (2009)
(Source)

Alcott, Louisa May -- Jo’s Boys (1886)

Dave — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 15:35:18 +0000

It takes very little fire to make a great deal of smoke nowadays, and notoriety is not real glory.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) American writer
Jo’s Boys (1886)
(Source)

McCarthy, Cormac -- All the Pretty Horses (1992)

Dave — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 17:59:17 +0000

When they went down to the bunkhouse for dinner the vaqueros seemed to treat them with a certain deference but whether it was the deference accorded the accomplished or that accorded to mental defectives they were unsure.

Cormac McCarthy (1933-2023) American novelist, playwright, screenwriter
All the Pretty Horses (1992)
(Source)

Lincoln, Abraham -- (Attributed (1861))

Dave — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 04:03:46 +0000

You have heard the story, haven’t you, about the man who was tarred and feathered and carried out of town on a rail? A man in the crowd asked him how he liked it. His reply was that if it was not for the honor of the thing, he would much rather walk.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) American lawyer, politician, US President (1861-65)
(Attributed (1861))

When asked how he liked being president (c. 1861). Quoted in Emanuel Hertz, Lincoln Talks: A Biography in Anecdote (1939).

Lebowitz, Fran -- Panel Discussion (1993-05-24), “Fame in the 20th Century,” Clive James (moderator), Joseph Papp Public Theater, New York City

Dave — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:09:21 +0000

The best fame is a writer’s fame. It’s enough to get a table at a good restaurant, but not enough that you get interrupted when you eat.

Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950) American journalist, essayist
Panel Discussion (1993-05-24), “Fame in the 20th Century,” Clive James (moderator), Joseph Papp Public Theater, New York City
(Source)

Reported in William Grimes, "The New Fame, or, How a Nobody Can Be Somebody," New York Times (1993-05-26).

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Pro Archia Poeta [For Archia the Poet], ch. 11 / sec. 26 (62 BC) [tr. Yonge (1856)]

Dave — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:43:33 +0000

Those very philosophers even in the books which they write about despising glory, put their own names on the title-page. In the very act of recording their contempt for renown and notoriety, they desire to have their own names known and talked of.

[Ipsi illi philosophi etiam illis libellis, quos de contemnenda gloria scribunt, nomen suum inscribunt; in eo ipso in quo praedicationem nobilitatemque despiciunt, praedicari de se, ac nominari volunt.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Pro Archia Poeta [For Archia the Poet], ch. 11 / sec. 26 (62 BC) [tr. Yonge (1856)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

For celebrated philosophers themselves inscribed their name even on the lampoons which they wrote on contempt of fame; in that very thing in which they despise publicity and nobility, they wish themselves to be made public and to merit a name.
[tr. M'Donogh Mahony (1886)]

Even those very philosophers who write treatises on the despising of fame, put their names on the title-page; in the very place in which they deprecate self-advertisement and notoriety they take steps to have themselves advertised and made notorious.
[ed. Harbottle (1897)]

Those philosophers themselves, even in those pamphlets which they write concerning despising glory, will inscribe their names: in this (case) itself, in which they despise commendation and renown they wish to be commended concerning themselves, and (that) themselves to (should) be named.
[tr. Dewey (1916)]

Why, upon the very books in which they bid us scorn ambition philosophers inscribe their names! They seek advertisement and publicity for themselves on the very page whereon they pour contempt upon advertisement and publicity.
[tr. Watts (Loeb) (1923)]

Those great philosophers themselves, in the very books which they compose on the subject of despising glory, write their own names upon the title-pages; and in the very thing wherein they look down on public praise and a name of renown, they claim to be publicly praised and named.
[tr. Allcroft/Plaistowe (c. 1925)]

The very philosophers themselves, even in those books which they write on contempt of glory, inscribe their names; in that very work in which they profess scorn for notice and reputation, they wish to be advertised and celebrated.
[tr. Guinach (1962)]

The philosophers who write treatises "on despising glory" actually inscribe their own names on those very books! In the actual writings in which they scorn publicity and fame they want to be publicized and named!
[tr. Berry (2000)]

Boorstin, Daniel J. -- The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America, ch. 2, “From Hero to Celebrity: The Human Pseudo-event” (1961)

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

Celebrity-worship and hero-worship should not be confused. Yet we confuse them every day, and by doing so we come dangerously close to depriving ourselves of all real models. We lose sight of the men and women who do not simply seem great because they are famous but are famous because they are great. We come closer and closer to degrading all fame into notoriety.

Daniel J. Boorstin (1914-2004) American historian, professor, attorney, writer
The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America, ch. 2, “From Hero to Celebrity: The Human Pseudo-event” (1961)