WIST Quotations

Bierce, Ambrose -- “Deny,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1882-02-17)

Dave — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:35:54 +0000

DENY, v.t. See Hurl Back The Allegation.

Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914?) American writer and journalist
“Deny,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1882-02-17)

Not collected in later books.

Rickover, Hyman -- Essay (1979-05-24), Statement before the Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production, Committee on Science and Technology, US House of Representatives

Dave — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:36:04 +0000

Another principle for successful application of a sophisticated technology is to resist the human inclination to hope that things will work out, despite evidence or suspicions to the contrary. This may seem obvious, but it is a human factor you must be conscious of and actively guard against. It can affect you in subtle ways, particularly when you have spent a lot of time and energy on a project and feel personally responsible for it, and thus somewhat possessive. It is a common human problem and it is not easy to admit what you thought was correct did not turn out that way.

Hyman Rickover (1900–1986) Polish-American naval engineer, admiral [b. Chaim Gdala Rykower]
Essay (1979-05-24), Statement before the Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production, Committee on Science and Technology, US House of Representatives

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Dave — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:08:44 +0000

Sit down before fact with an open mind. Be prepared to give up every preconceived notion. Follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss Nature leads, or you learn nothing. Don’t push out figures when the facts are going in the opposite direction.

Hyman Rickover (1900–1986) Polish-American naval engineer, admiral [b. Chaim Gdala Rykower]
Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Rickover, Hyman -- Speech (1954-03-16), “Administering a Large Military Development Project,” US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Dave — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:24:57 +0000

The first step toward accomplishing anything is to have a goal. Goals are set by people and not by organizations. At some point, sooner or later, organizations lend their names to a project, but the concept and the initial work is always started by an individual.

Jacobs, Jane -- The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Introduction (1961)

Dave — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:01:34 +0000

There is a quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder, and this meaner quality is the dishonest mask of pretended order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served.

Jane Jacobs (1916–2006) American-Canadian journalist, author, urban theorist, activist
The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Introduction (1961)

On urban planning that disregards actual needs for gratuitous features that please outside observers.

Messerschmitt, Willy -- (Attributed (1934))

Dave — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 17:41:19 +0000

You can have any combination of features the Air Ministry desires, so long as you do not also require that the resulting airplane fly.

[Natürlich können Sie dem Luftfahrtministerium ein Flugzeug mit allen gewünschten Eigenschaften bauen — solange Sie nicht zwingend voraussetzen, dass es dann auch fliegt.]

Wilhelm Emil "Willy" Messerschmitt (1898–1978) German aircraft designer and manufacturer
(Attributed (1934))

Another translation:

Of course, you can build the Air Ministry an airplane with whatever characteristics you want -- as long as you don't necessarily expect it to fly.

Baudelaire, Charles -- Le Spleen de Paris (Petits Poèmes en Prose), No. 24 “Projects [Les Projets],” final words (1869) [tr. Varèse (1970)]

Dave — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 23:38:31 +0000

And why carry out one’s projects, since the project is sufficient pleasure in itself?

[Et à quoi bon exécuter des projets, puisque le projet est en lui-même une jouissance suffisante?]

Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867) French poet, essayist, art critic
Le Spleen de Paris (Petits Poèmes en Prose), No. 24 “Projects [Les Projets],” final words (1869) [tr. Varèse (1970)]

(Source (French)). Other translations:

And what is the good of carrying out a project, when the project itself gives me pleasure enough?
[tr. Hamburger (1946)]

And what good is it to carry out plans, since planning itself is a sufficient delight?
[tr. Kaplan (1989)]

And what good would it do to execute such plans, since planning is in itself sufficient enjoyment?
[tr. Waldrop (2009)]

What good is it to accomplish projects, when the project itself is enjoyment enough?
[Various]

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 204 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]

Dave — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:10:11 +0000

But the greatest undertakings should not be overly pondered, lest contemplation of difficulties too clearly foreseen appall you.

[Los grandes empeños aun no se han de pensar, basta ofrecerse, porque la dificultad, advertida, no ocasione el reparo.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601–1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 204 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]

(Source (Spanish)). Other translations:

As to great enterprizes, we must not stand reasoning, it is enough that we embrace them when they present, lest the consideration of their difficulty make us abandon the attempt.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

Great undertakings are not to be brooded over, lest their difficulty when seen causes despair.
[tr. Jacobs (1892)]

In moments of great danger, don't even think, simply act. Don't dwell on the difficulties.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Drucker, Peter F. -- Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, ch. 8 (1977 ed.)

Dave — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:45:12 +0000

What makes a plan capable of producing results is the commitment of key people to work on specific tasks.

Peter F. Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-American business consultant
Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, ch. 8 (1977 ed.)

~Proverbs and Sayings -- Dutch proverb

Dave — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:57:24 +0000

He who is outside the door has already a good part of his journey behind him.

Proverbs, Sayings, and Adages
Dutch proverb

Lao-tzu -- The Way of Life, ch. 17 [tr. Blakney (1955)]

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

He is aloof, as if his talk
Were priced beyond the purchasing;
But once his project is contrived,
The folk will want to say of it:
“Of course! We did it by ourselves!”

Lao-tzu (604?-531? BC) Chinese philosopher, poet [also Lao-tse, Laozi]
The Way of Life, ch. 17 [tr. Blakney (1955)]

Other translations:

"A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done -- his aim fulfilled, they will say: 'We did it ourselves.'"
"When the effective leader is finished with his work, the people say it happened naturally."

Ursula K. Le Guin, in her Tao Te Ching (1997) rendered it this way:

True leaders
are hardly known to their followers.
Next after them are the leaders
the people know and admire;
after them, those they fear;
after them, those they despise.
[...]
When the work’s done right,
with no fuss or boasting,
ordinary people say,
Oh, we did it.