Quotations from Brainy Smurf 231

"Without books the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are the engines of change, windows on the world, "Lighthouses" as the poet said "erected in the sea of time." They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print." --Arthur Schopenhauer, philosopher (1788-1860)

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 229

"If you have the same ideas as everybody else but have them one week earlier than everyone else then you will be hailed as a visionary. But if you have them five years earlier you will be named a lunatic." --Barry Jones, politician, author (1932- )

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 227

"It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong." --Richard Feynman, physicist, Nobel laureate (1918-1988)

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 226

"So the conventional wisdom in Galbraith’s view must be simple, convenient, comfortable, and comforting--though not necessarily true. It would be silly to argue that the conventional wisdom is never true. But noticing where the conventional wisdom may be false--noticing, perhaps, the contrails of sloppy or self-interested thinking--is a nice place to start asking questions."

--Steven D. Levitt, Freakonomics

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 224

"There are two ways to slide easily through life; to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking." --Alfred Korzybski

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 217

"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." --Thomas Paine

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 206

"Whenever people say 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it." --Brigid Brophy, writer (1929-1995)

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 201

"God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages." --Jacques Deval, writer and director (1895-1972)

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 195

"When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about." --Albert Einstein

"I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision." --Eleanor Roosevelt

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 192

"The point of living and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come." --Peter Ustinov

"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor." --Neil Gaiman

Quotations from Brainy Smurf 191

"I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it." --Terry Pratchett

"Now and then an innocent man is sent to the legislature."
--Kin Hubbard