This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Cicero, fully Marcus Tullius Cicero, anglicized as Tully NULL
Beware of an inordinate desire for wealth. Nothing is so revealing of narrowness and littleness of soul than love for money. Conversely, there is nothing more honorable or noble than indifference to money, if one doesn’t have any; or than genuine altruism and well-doing if one does have it.
Altruism | Desire | Indifference | Love | Money | Nothing | Soul | Wealth |
Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
Politics |
Pierre Trudeau, aka Pierre Elliott Trudeau, fully Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau
The essential ingredient of politics is timing.
Politics |
The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
Evil | Good | Indifference | Men | Public |
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Politics |
The great make us feel, first of all, the indifference of circumstances. They call into activity the higher perceptions, and subdue the low habits of comfort and luxury; but the higher perceptions find their objects everywhere; only the low habits need palaces and banquets.
Circumstances | Comfort | Indifference | Luxury | Need |
Government has come to be a trade, and is managed solely on commercial principles. A man plunges into politics to make his fortune, and only cares that the world shall last his days.
Fortune | Government | Man | Politics | Principles | World |
As to the freedom of the will, a very different account must be given of it as it exists in God and as its exists for us... That idea of good impelled God to choose one thing rather than another... Thus that supreme indifference in God is the supreme proof of his omnipotence. But as to man, since he finds the nature of all goodness and truth already determined by God, and his will cannot bear upon anything else, it is evident that he embraces the true and the good the more willingly and hence the more freely in proportion as he sees the true and the good more clearly, and that he is never indifferent save when he does not know what is the more true or the better, or at least when he does not see clearly enough to prevent him from doubting about it. Thus the indifference which attaches to human liberty is very different from that which belongs to the divine.
Better | Enough | Freedom | God | Good | Indifference | Liberty | Man | Nature | Omnipotence | Truth | Will | God |
Nothing precludes sympathy so much as a perfect indifference to it.
Indifference | Nothing | Sympathy |
Responsibility educates, and politics is but another name for God’s way of teaching the masses ethics, under the responsibility of great present interests.
Ethics | God | Politics | Present | Responsibility |
Conservatism is the politics of reality.
Conservatism | Politics | Reality |
Charles de Gaulle, fully Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle
I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
Politics |
Edward Bernays, fully Edward Louis Bernays
In almost every act of our lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons [...] who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires that control the public mind, who harness old social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide the world.
Eugene McCarthy, fully Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy
Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important.
Enough | Politics | Think | Understand |
I know that theater people often have very simplistic view of politics and tend to express very black and white patriotic sentiments but perhaps that is because we know the value of illusion, how it can help strengthen the weak, and stimulate the weary
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 |
If moderation is a fault then indifference is a crime.
Fault | Indifference | Moderation | Moderation | Fault |
Georg Hegel, fully Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
It is a matter of perfect indifference where a thing originated; the only question is: "Is it true in and for itself?"
Indifference | Question |