My Favourite Quotes

1. "Il faut cultiver notre jardin.

(Let us cultivate our garden.)"

-Volitare (Candide) 

We must always cultivate thoughts and grow in knowledge. In order to cultivate our thoughts we must also weed out nonsense in our lives that prevents us from thinking critically. The garden is our world and we must cultivate it so that the good in humanity can flourish and the evil parts can be weeded out and composted. 

2. " L'homme est la seule créature qui refuse d'être ce qu'elle est.

(Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.)"

-Albert Camus 

We are so reflexive as a society that we desire to be what we are not. We constantly wish that we are different in appearance, personality and prosperity. Other organisms are content to be what they are and it is uniquely human to question ones own existence and to desire something different.

3. "When you get right down to it, on the inside, aren't we all just midgets dressed in felt?" 

-Jon Stewart empathizes with the Teletubbies February 11, 1999

 

Empathy is at the core of humanity and it is important to see that we are all derived not only from the same ideas but what is truly inside us all is the same.

4."A lie is more comfortable than doubt, more useful than love, more lasting than truth."

— Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 

It is true that telling lies is easier than explaining the truth. With lies we can get things accomplished, we can persuade others and persuade ourselves. They are more useful than the truth because they show in their way true intentions of people. I am still trying to understand what this quote means.

5. "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
-V for Vendetta