Those whose approval you seek most give you the least.

If you are going to ask yourself life-changing questions, be sure to do something with the answers.

Bo Bennett

The cities of America are inexpressibly tedious. The Bostonians take their learning too sadly; culture with them is an accomplishment rather than an atmosphere; their Hub, as they call it, is the paradise of prigs. Chicago is a sort of monster-shop, full of bustles and bores. Political life at Washington is like political life in a suburban vestry. Baltimore is amusing for a week, but Philadelphia is dreadfully provincial; and though one can dine in New York one could not dwell there.

Oscar Wilde

Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.

Mencius (Mengzi Mengtse)

Imperfection clings to a person, and if they wait till they are brushed off entirely, they would spin for ever on their axis, advancing nowhere.

Thomas Carlyle

We women are always in danger of living too exclusively in the affections; and though our affections are perhaps the best gifts we have, we ought also to have our share of the more independent life -- some joy in things for their own sake. It is piteous to see the helplessness of some sweet women when their affections are disappointed -- because all their teaching has been, that they can only delight in study of any kind for the sake of a personal love. They have never contemplated an independent delight in ideas as an experience which they could confess without being laughed at. Yet surely women need this defense against passionate affliction even more than men.

George Eliot

Happiness is the highest good, being a realization and perfect practice of virtue, which some can attain, while others have little or none of it

Aristotle

Let us train our minds to desire what the situation demands.

Seneca (Seneca the Elder)

History repeats itself. Historians repeat each other.

Philip Guedalla

My friend has a baby. I'm writing down all the noises the baby makes so later I can ask him what he meant.

Steven Wright

As much as we thirst for approval we dread condemnation.

Hans Selye

No one is wise or safe, but they that are honest.

Sir Walter Raleigh

I don't think that the flesh is necessarily treacherous, evil, bad. It is cantankerous, and it is independent. The idea of independence is the key. It really is like colonialism. The colonies suddenly decide that they can and should exist with their own personality and should detach from the control of the mother country. At first the colony is perceived as being treacherous. It's a betrayal. Ultimately, it can be seen as the separation of a partner that could be very valuable as an equal rather than as something you dominate.

David Cronenberg