Notable Quotes (Nonreligious)

We are no better than the animals; in fact in a lot of ways we aren’t as good.
John Steinbeck

Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.
Thucydides

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.
Mark Twain

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.
George Patton

It is no use saying, ‘We are doing our best.’ You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.
Winston Churchill

It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
Carl Sagan

A witty saying proves nothing.
Voltaire

“Physical violence has solved every war in history, most football games, and a few marriages I can think of.”

—Lou Grant

Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is, it’s the only answer.

‘There is no such thing as luck. There is only adequate or inadequate preparation to cope with a statistical universe.’

Both from Robert Heinlein.

Regards,
Shodan

“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.” - John Adams

“Lord, give me the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change what can be changed, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of the people I had to kill because they pissed me off.”

“Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of—but do it in private, and wash your hands afterward.” Robert Heinlein

“The perversity of the universe tends to a maximum.” Larry Niven

“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.”

~ Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

And John Mellencamp and Katy Perry

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength” ⁃ Corrie Ten Boom

And, related: “Anxiety is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you very far” - Jodi Picoult

“Human emotions are a gift from our animal ancestors. Cruelty is a gift humanity has given itself.” - Hannibal, from the eponymous TV series

“To criticize is to presuppose an alternative…” - Neil Peart, natch.

“It doesn’t count as necrophilia if the guy was alive when the fucking started.”

Oglaf (webcomic)

Try to say nothing negative about anybody for three days, for forty-five days, for three months. See what happens to your life. - Yoko Ono

“Ninety-five percent of people who walk the earth are simply inert. One percent are saints, and one percent are assholes. The other three percent are people who do what they say they can do.”

-Stephen King

“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson

Another good one from King - “When I was seventeen, I realized the mix the world runs on, which is one part high octane to nine parts bullshit.”

Regards,
Shodan

I like the “…Two kinds of people in the world…” quotes - maybe they deserve their own thread. Here are a few:

There are two types of people in this world. Those who listen and those that wait for their turn to speak. –Unknown
There are only two kinds of people in the world – there are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good Lord, it’s morning.” –Unknown
There are two types of people in this world: those who leave a mark, and others who just leave a stain. – Unknown
There are two types of people in this world; good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more. –Woody Allen
There are two kinds of people; those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there. –Indira Gandhi
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who think for themselves, and those who only know what they’ve been taught. -Unknown

Life is like a shit sandwich. The more bread you have, the less shit you have to eat.

Did she ever tell JOHN that one? Unlikely.

“If I’d’a killed you twenty years ago, I’d be free today.”
*
—Anonymous*

One of the greatest speeches ever given, by Carl Sagan.

I’ve got a couple of these:

*“Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.”

“Life is like toilet paper: You’re either on a roll or you’re taking shit from some asshole.”*
Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.
Anonymous
Read more at http://izquotes.com/quote/291254

“There are two types of people in this world. Those who can count, those who can’t, and those who can, but do it badly.” - Anon.