The presence of a body of well-instructed men, who have not to labor for their daily bread, is important to read more

The presence of a body of well-instructed men, who have not to labor for their daily bread, is important to a degree which cannot be overestimated; as all high intellectual work is carried on by them, and on such work material progress of all kinds mainly depends, not to mention other and higher advantages.

The avowed aim of all utopian movements is to put an end to history and to establish a final and read more

The avowed aim of all utopian movements is to put an end to history and to establish a final and permanent calm.

He who does not bellow out the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and read more

He who does not bellow out the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers.

The collective matrix of a science at a given time is determined by a kind of establishment, which includes universities, read more

The collective matrix of a science at a given time is determined by a kind of establishment, which includes universities, learned societies, and, more recently, the editorial offices of technical journals. Like other establishments, they are consciously or unconsciously bent on preserving the status quo- partly because unorthodox innovations are a threat to their authority, but also because of the deeper fear that their laboriously erected an intellectual edifice might collapse under the impact.

Society is like a large piece of frozen water; and skating well
is the great art of social life.

Society is like a large piece of frozen water; and skating well
is the great art of social life.

Take your work seriously, but never yourself.

Take your work seriously, but never yourself.

We are in the process of creating what deserves to be called the idiot culture. Not an idiot sub-culture, which read more

We are in the process of creating what deserves to be called the idiot culture. Not an idiot sub-culture, which every society has bubbling beneath the surface and which can provide harmless fun; but the culture itself. For the first time, the weird and the stupid and the coarse are becoming our cultural norm, even our cultural ideal.

Without a struggle, there can be no progress.

Without a struggle, there can be no progress.

A society that refuses to strive for superfluities is likely to end up lacking in necessities.

A society that refuses to strive for superfluities is likely to end up lacking in necessities.