Prompt: Do you have a favourite quote that you return to again and again?
Yes, I do have a favourite quote, Daily Prompts, thank you for asking. There are actually a number of quotes that I refer to, in my little computer notebook, that inspire and challenge me.
Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.
—Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal was a 17th century scientist and philosopher, but his words strike me as hugely relevant now. Maybe they will always be relevant, as people continue to twist the truth to suit their own personal, political, or religious agenda— and the rest of us value truth so little that we give such people power.
When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you, but because in that brief moment when the coin is in the air, you suddenly know what you are hoping for.
I keep forgetting about this one, when I have an interesting or difficult choice to make. I think it illustrates very well that harrowing decisions are not so harrowing after all, if we are honest with ourselves. Since we find honesty so elusive, this is a nice little hack.
To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up.
—Oscar Wilde
…Speaking of honesty. Oscar Wilde’s wit is so beloved because there is such truth in it.
Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communication.
—Charlie Kaufman
To the people in the world who overshare: This one’s for you!
Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.
—Albert Einstein
There’s nothing wrong with getting from A to B. It’s a valuable, efficient, and often necessary path, and I speak as someone whose view of the path is sometimes obscured. Imagination will take you everywhere, and I know that because I’ve been there. It’s really nice.
“Why is it the greatest champions of the white race always turn out to be the worst examples of it?”
—Jesse Custer, addressing the KKK, in Preacher, by Garth Ennis
Perfection. But why is that true?
The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you’ve gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you’ve gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him?
—Chuang Tzu
I like to ponder this one while standing in line at the supermarket.
Life’s a bitch, then you die.
—Unknown
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that life is difficult and painful. Yet think about us, you and me— I’m in a warm house with plenty of water. I have frozen lasagna defrosting in the fridge. My doctor’s office is five minutes away, and always available to me. No one will come and chop me up in the middle of the night. Children in my neighbourhood do not carry arms. Your situation is probably much the same as mine. So we are the 1% of the global population, while for the majority the above statement is often absolute truth.
There should be no 1%, not locally, nationally, or globally. There should be no 99% who live and die in suffering, while I complain about Netflix.
May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
—George Carlin
I feel George Carlin’s spirit is protecting me from evil when I sleep.
Life may have no meaning. Or even worse, it may have a meaning of which I disapprove.
—Ashleigh Brilliant
Don’t you hate when that happens?
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- Original post: January 27, 2016.
Fluffy Pool 