“Men who believe that they are accomplishing something by speaking speak in a different way from men who believe that speaking is a waste of time.”
Source: Cryptonomicon
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
Neal Stephenson167
American science fiction writer 1959Related quotes
“Wise men speak when they have something to say, fools speak because they have to say something”
Aristotle (-384–-321 BC) Classical Greek philosopher, student of Plato and founder of Western philosophy
“Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen.”
John Muir (1838–1914) Scottish-born American naturalist and author
Frequently attributed to Muir without source. An extensive search of Muir's published and unpublished writings found several sharp and cogent observations concerning society (see above) but not this one.
Misattributed
“Those who believe they speak with the absolute authority of Allah demand absolute submission.”
Reza Pahlavi (1960) Last crown prince of the former Imperial State of Iran
Statement by Reza Pahlavi of Iran - Democracy & Security Conference http://www.rezapahlavi.org/details_article.php?article=108&page=4, Prague, Czech Republic, Jun. 5, 2007. <br class="br">Speeches, 2007 <br class="br">Context: To the realpolitik cynics who say Islamist theocracy is a reality we have to live with, I respond: funny – they never said they can live with YOU! To those who say the theocrats can reform if we are nice to them, I say you do not know the difference between Islamist revolution and secular ones. Those who believe they speak with the absolute authority of Allah demand absolute submission.
Malcolm X (1925–1965) American human rights activist
http://malcolmxfiles.blogspot.com/2013/07/harvard-law-school-forum-december-16.html <br class="br"> Speech http://books.google.com/books?id=108sAQAAIAAJ&q=%22I+believe+in+the+brotherhood+of+all+men+but+I+don't+believe+in+wasting+brotherhood+on+anyone+who+doesn't+want+to+practice+it+with+me+Brotherhood+is+a+two-way+street%22&pg=PA133#v=onepage at the Harvard Law School Forum (16 December 1964)
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (1830–1903) British politician
Letter to Miss Milner (11 November 1901), quoted in The Times (19 November 1901), p. 10
1900s
George Raymond Richard Martin (1948) American writer, screenwriter and television producer
infinity plus interview (2001)
Context: Historical processes have never much interested me, but history is full of stories, full of triumph and tragedy and battles won and lost. It is the people who speak to me, the men and women who once lived and loved and dreamed and grieved, just as we do. Though some may have had crowns on their heads or blood on their hands, in the end they were not so different from you and me, and therein lies their fascination. I suppose I am still a believer in the now unfashionable "heroic" school, which says that history is shaped by individual men and women and the choices that they make, by deeds glorious and terrible.