Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian neurologist known as the founding father of psychoanalysis
Source: Letters of Sigmund Freud, 1873-1939
“I am convinced that, except in a few extraordinary cases, one form or another of an unhappy childhood is essential to the formation of exceptional gifts.”
Writers at Work interview (1958)
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Thornton Wilder61
American playwright and novelist 1897–1975Related quotes
“I am one of those who are made for exceptions, not for laws.”
Oscar Wilde book De Profundis
Source: De Profundis
Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) logician, one of the first analytic philosophers and political activist
1950s, What Desires Are Politically Important? (1950)
Context: Killing an enemy in a modern war is a very expensive operation... It is obvious that modern war is not good business from a financial point of view. Although we won both the world wars, we should now be much richer if they had not occured. If men were actuated by self-interest, which they are not – except in the case of a few saints – the whole human race would cooperate. There would be no more wars, no more armies, no more navies, no more atom bombs. There would not be armies of propagandists employed in poisoning the minds of Nation A against Nation B, and reciprocally of Nation B against Nation A. There would not be armies of officials at frontiers to prevent the entry of foreign books and foreign ideas, however excellent in themselves. There would not be customs barriers to ensure the existence of many small enterprises where one big enterprise would be more economic. All this would happen very quickly if men desired their own happiness as ardently as they desired the misery of their neighbors. But, you will tell me, what is the use of these utopian dreams? Moralists will see to it that we do not become wholly selfish, and until we do the millennium will be impossible.
“[N]othing is worthwhile on this unhappy earth except the fulfilment of a man's desire.”
Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953) writer
Source: The Four Men: A Farrago (1911), p. 4
John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher (1841–1920) Royal Navy admiral of the fleet
p. 38 https://archive.org/stream/memoriesbyadmira00fishuoft#page/37/mode/1up. <br class="br"> Memories (1919) https://archive.org/stream/memoriesbyadmira00fishuoft#page/n0/mode/2up <br class="br">Context: ... Jellicoe had all the Nelsonic attributes except one - he is totally wanting in the great gift of Insubordination. Nelson's greatest achievements were all solely due to his disobeying orders!..... Any fool can obey orders! But it required a Nelson to disobey Sir John Jervis at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, to disregard the order to retire at Copenhagen, to go into the Battle of the Nile by night with no charts against orders, and, to crown all, to enter into the Battle of Trafalgar in a battle formation contrary to all the Sea orders of the time! BLESS HIM! Alas! Jellicoe is saturated with Discipline!
“Gifts of the heart can't be claimed by anyone except the giver.”
Nicholas Sparks book The Wedding
Source: The Wedding
Richard Arden, 1st Baron Alvanley (1744–1804) British judge and politician
Ex parte Motley et uxor (1801), 1 Bos. & Pull. 456.
“In childhood the daylight always fails too soon -- except when there are going to be fireworks;”
Jan Struther (1901–1953) British writer
Guy Fawkes' Day, Mrs. Miniver
Margaret Mead (1901–1978) American anthropologist
The girls' minds were perplexed by no conflicts, troubled by no philosophical queries, beset by no remote ambitions. To live as a girl with many lovers as long as possible and then to marry in one's own village, near one's own relatives, and to have many children, these were uniform and satisfying ambitions.
Source: 1920s, Coming of Age in Samoa (1928), p. 107