WIST Quotations

Sagan, Carl -- Cosmos, ep. 13 “Who Speaks for Earth?” PBS TV (1980)

Dave — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:18:18 +0000

History is full of people who out of fear, or ignorance, or lust for power have destroyed treasures of immeasurable value which truly belong to us all. We must not let that happen again.

Carl Sagan (1934–1996) American scientist and writer
Cosmos, ep. 13 “Who Speaks for Earth?” PBS TV (1980)
(Source)

(Source (Video); dialog verified). Referring to the destruction of the Library at Alexandria. This text is not in the Cosmos book (it would fit in roughly here).

Banksy -- Wall and Piece, “Art,” “Street Sculpture” (2005)

Dave — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:21:09 +0000

If you want someone to be ignored then build a life-size bronze statue of them and stick it in the middle of town. It doesn’t matter how great you were, it’ll always take an unfunny drunk with climbing skills to make people notice you.

Banksy (b. 1974?) England-based pseudonymous street artist, political activist, film director
Wall and Piece, “Art,” “Street Sculpture” (2005)
(Source)

Krutch, Joseph Wood -- The Great Chain of Life, ch. 9 “Reverence for Life” (1956)

Dave — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:34:48 +0000

When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him Vandal. When he wantonly destroys one of the works of God we call him Sportsman.

Joseph Wood Krutch (1893–1970) American educator, writer, critic, naturalist
The Great Chain of Life, ch. 9 “Reverence for Life” (1956)
(Source)

Often misquoted as "a vandal ... a sportsman."

Umar I -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 16:13:46 +0000

If these writings of the Greeks agree with the book of God, they are useless and need not be preserved; if they disagree, they are pernicious and ought to be destroyed.

Umar I (c. 583–644) Arab caliph, jurist [Omar, Umar ibn Al-Khattāb, Al-Farooq]
(Attributed)

Ordering the burning of the Library of Alexandria in AD 641, as quoted in Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-88). The story is generally considered spurious. More discussion here. Alt. trans.: "They will either contradict the Koran, in which case they are heresy, or they will agree with it, so they are superfluous"