This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Science, history and politics are not suited for discussion except by experts. Others are simply in the position of requiring more information; and, till they have acquired all available information, cannot do anything but accept on authority the opinions of those better qualified.
Authority | Better | Discussion | History | Politics | Position |
The active part of man consists of powerful instincts, some of which are gentle and continuous; others violent and short; some baser, some nobler, and all necessary.
Man |
What we employ in charitable uses during our lives is given away from ourselves: what we bequeath at our death is given from others only, as our nearest relations.
Death |
The leader is one who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by leaders and followers... Leaders, followers and goals make up the three equally necessary supports for leadership.
Friedrich Nietzsche, fully Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
So long as men praise you, you can only be sure that you are not yet on your own path but on someone else's.
Friedrich Nietzsche, fully Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
The most intelligent men, like the strongest, find their happiness where others would find only disaster: in the labyrinth, in being hard with themselves and with others, in effort; their delight is self-mastery; in them asceticism becomes second nature, a necessity, an instinct.
Asceticism | Asceticism | Happiness |
Friedrich Nietzsche, fully Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
The most common lie is the lie one tells oneself; lying to others is relatively the exception.
Lying |
Friedrich Nietzsche, fully Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
The most spiritual human beings, as the strongest, find their happiness where others would find their destruction: in the labyrinth, in severity towards themselves and others, in attempting; their joy lies in self-constraint: with them asceticism becomes nature, need, instinct.
Asceticism | Joy | Asceticism | Happiness |
Georg Hegel, fully Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
The task of conducting the individual mind from its unscientific standpoint to that of science had to be taken in its general sense; we had to contemplate the formative development (Bildung) of the universal [or general] individual, of self-conscious spirit. As to the relation between these two [the particular and general individual], every moment, as it gains concrete form and its own proper shape and appearance, finds a place in the life of the universal individual. The particular individual is incomplete mind, a concrete shape in whose existence, taken as a whole, one determinate characteristic predominates, while the others are found only in blurred outline.
Individual | Life | Life | Mind | Science |
Friedrich Nietzsche, fully Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Man is much more sensitive to the contempt of others than to self-contempt.
Contempt |
Gerald Brenan, fully Edward FitzGerald "Gerald" Brenan
We confess our bad qualities to others out of fear of appearing naive or ridiculous by not being aware of them.
Gilbert Keith "G.K." Chesteron
It is not only possible to say a great deal in praise of play; it is really possible to say the highest things in praise of it. It might reasonably be maintained that the true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. To be at last in such secure innocence that one can juggle with the universe and the stars, to be so good that one can treat everything as a joke — that may be, perhaps, the real end and final holiday of human souls.
Earth | Good | Heaven | Innocence | Life | Life | Object | Praise | Universe |
Men who have attained things worth having in this world have worked while others idled, have persevered when others gave up in despair, have practiced early in life the valuable habits of self-denial, industry, and singleness of purpose. As a result, they enjoy in later life the success so often erroneously attributed to good luck.
The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised.
Power |
One of the most important phases of maturing is that of growth from self-centering to an understanding relationship to others. A person is not mature until he has both an ability and a willingness to see himself as one among others and to do unto those others as he would have them do to him.
Ability | Growth | Important | Relationship | Understanding |