#truism

Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you. ↗

— Carl Sandburg

#independence #people #time #truism #life

In the unceasing ebb and flow of justice and oppression we must all dig channels as best we may, that at the propitious moment somewhat of the swelling tide may be conducted to the barren places of life. ↗

— Jane Addams

#inspirational #justice #oppression #social-justice #inspirational

Follow the rules until you make them. ↗

— Luke Green

#skills #truisms #writing #life

The most altruistic and sustainable philosophies fail before the brute brain stem imperative of self-interest. ↗

— Peter Watts

#brutality #life-philosophy #self-interest #life

We have so far to go to realize our human potential for compassion, altruism, and love. ↗

— Jane Goodall

#compassion #humanity #love #love

He hesitated till the last moment, but finally dropped them in the box, saying, "I shall win!"--the cry of a gambler, the cry of the great general, the compulsive cry that has ruined more men than it has ever saved. ↗

— Honoré de Balzac

#pride #self-assuredness #truism #men

Lawyers are alright, I guess — but it doesn't appeal to me", I said. "I mean they're alright if they go around saving innocent guys' lives all the time, and like that, but you don't do that kind of stuff if you're a lawyer. All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like a hot-shot. And besides, even if you did go around saving guys' lives and all, how would you know if you did it because you really wanted to save guys' lives, or because you did it because what you really wanted to do was be a terrific lawyer, with everybody slapping you on the back and congratulating you in court when the goddam trial was over, the reporters and everybody, the way it is in the dirty movies? How would you know you weren't being a phony? The trouble is you wouldn't. ↗

— J.D. Salinger

#holden-caulfield #phonies #the-catcher-in-the-rye #movies

Perhaps the most legitimately dispiriting thing about reciprocal altruism is that it is a misnomer. Whereas with kin selection the "goal" of our genes is to actually help another organism, with reciprocal altruism the goal is that the organism be left under the impression that we've helped; the impression alone is enough to bring the reciprocation. ↗

— Robert Wright

#evolution #natural-selection #reciprocity #nature

There is the natural liar...Always says the thing that sounds best. ↗

— Agatha Christie

#nature

You can observe a lot just by watching. ↗

— Yogi Berra

#science #truism #science