WIST Quotations

Stross, Charles -- The Apocalypse Codex (2012)

Dave — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 22:23:54 +0000

“There are two types of people in this world,” Pete volunteers helpfully, “those who think there are only two types of people in the world, and everybody else.” He sips his wine thoughtfully. “But the first kind don’t put it that way. They usually think in terms of the saved and the damned, with themselves sitting pretty in the lifeboat.”

Charles "Charlie" Stross (b. 1964) British writer
The Apocalypse Codex (2012)

Richardson, James -- Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, # 85 (2001)

Dave — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 17:33:06 +0000

The great consolation of righteousness is never having to worry whether you’re a bore.

James Richardson (b. 1950) American poet
Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, # 85 (2001)

Matthews, Brett -- Firefly, 1×13 “Heart of Gold” (4 Aug 2003)

Dave — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 16:51:57 +0000

MAL: Nothing worse than a monster who thinks he’s right with God.

Brett Matthews (b. c. 1978) American television screenwriter, author
Firefly, 1×13 “Heart of Gold” (4 Aug 2003)

Russell, Bertrand -- Justice in War-Time (1916)

Dave — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 13:50:45 +0000

Righteousness cannot be born until self-righteousness is dead.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English mathematician and philosopher
Justice in War-Time (1916)

Shaw, George Bernard -- Remark (1940s)

Dave — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 14:13:43 +0000

A self-righteous country soon forgets its righteousness and remembers only the self.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish playwright and critic
Remark (1940s)

To the author, in Stephen Winsten, Days with Bernard Shaw, ch. 25 (1949)

Butcher, Jim -- Small Favor (2008)

Dave — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:30:12 +0000

You can be as sincere as hell and still be wrong.

Jim Butcher (b. 1971) American author
Small Favor (2008)

Watts, Isaac -- The Improvement of the Mind, ch. 1 (1741)

Dave — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 13:55:20 +0000

A dogmatical spirit inclines a man to be censorious of his neighbors. Every one of his opinions appears to him written, as it were, with sunbeams, and he grows angry that his neighbors do not see it in the same light. He is tempted to disdain his correspondents as men of low and dark understandings because they do not believe what he does.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) English theologian and hymnodist
The Improvement of the Mind, ch. 1 (1741)

Nietzsche, Friedrich -- Thus Spoke Zarathustra [Also sprach Zarathustra], “Of Old and New Law-Tables” (26) (1883-85) [tr. Hollingdale (1961)]

Dave — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:12:42 +0000

With whom does the greatest danger for the whole human future lie? Is it not with the good and just? — with those who say and feel in their hearts: “We already know what is good and just, we possess it, too; woe to those who are still searching for it!”

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) German philosopher and poet
Thus Spoke Zarathustra [Also sprach Zarathustra], “Of Old and New Law-Tables” (26) (1883-85) [tr. Hollingdale (1961)]

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 3027 (1732)

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

It is the Property of Fools, to be always judging.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 3027 (1732)
(Source)