#act

A man should be able to hear, and to bear, the worst that could be said of him. ↗

— Saul Bellow

#maturity #strength-of-character #maturity

Scepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to surrender it too soon or to the first comer: there is nobility in preserving it coolly and proudly through long youth, until at last, in the ripeness of instinct and discretion, it can be safely exchanged for fidelity and happiness. ↗

— George Santayana

#freethinking #skepticism #nobility

Dav­el­lon may be a vil­lage, but the Dav­el­lon House can be any­thing you make it. No­bil­ity has to start some­where. It might as well start with you. Let no­body look down on you, for what­ever rea­son, My Lord. Ti­tles are granted or in­her­ited, no­bil­ity isn't. ~Tenaxos I to Landar Parmingh, Baron Davellon ↗

— Andrew Ashling

#nobility #nobility-of-spirit #noble #titles #nobility

If you truly love someone, you should be more interested in keeping them happy than in being right. ↗

— Stephen Richards

#law-of-attraction #love #manifestation #manifesting #mind-power

We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. ↗

— Brother Lawrence

#devotion #love #love

The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people. ↗

— Criss Jami

#bore #boredom #boring #contagious #cynic

One nation, under God, with consciousness – the practical man serves the highest abstraction with juggling training. ↗

— Bauvard

#consciousness #funny #god #humor #juggling

As far as you can, get into the habit of asking yourself in relation to any action taken by another: "What is his point of reference here?" But begin with yourself: examine yourself first. ↗

— Marcus Aurelius

#frame-of-reference #questioning #self-actualization #empathy

I'd sit at my kitchen table and start scanning help-wanted ads on my laptop, but then a browser tab would blink and I'd get distracted and follow a link to a long magazine article about genetically modified wine grapes. Too long, actually, so I'd add it to my reading list. Then I'd follow another link to a book review. I'd add the review to my reading list, too, then download the first chapter of the book—third in a series about vampire police. Then, help-wanted ads forgotten, I'd retreat to the living room, put my laptop on my belly, and read all day. I had a lot of free time. ↗

— Robin Sloan

#procrastination #procrastination

The common mistake that bullies make is assuming that because someone is nice that he or she is weak. Those traits have nothing to do with each other. In fact, it takes considerable strength and character to be a good person. ↗

— Mary Elizabeth Williams

#bullying #kindness #strength-of-character #bullying