Monday, January 5, 2009

Quotes: Mankind (2)

Mankind 24 "Man is neither angel nor beast, and it is unfortunately the case that anyone trying to act the angel acts the beast." Self-righteousness breeds intolerance. Pascal. 1670. Gross, ed. Oxford Book of Aphorisms.

Mankind 24 " ‘Tis a disease particular to man and not discerned in any other creatures, to hate and despise itself." Only mankind can hate itself. Montaigne. 1580-88. Gross, ed. Oxford Book of Aphorisms.

Mankind 24 "To say that man is made up of strength and weakness, of insight and blindness, of pettiness and grandeur, is not to draw up an indictment against him: it is to define him." Mankind's contradictions do not indict him; they define him. Diderot. 1762. Gross, ed. Oxford Book of Aphorisms.

Mankind 35 "Limited in his nature, infinite in his desires, man is a fallen god who remembers heaven." Man's nature is limited; his aspirations are are unlimited, a reminder of his pre-birth origin in heaven. Larmartine. 1820 Gross, ed. Oxford Book of Aphorisms.

Mankind 190 "I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand." I love mankind as a concept; it's real people I can't stand. Charles Schultz. Portable Curmudgeon.

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