The Wisdom of Insecurity (1951)
Context: There is no formula for generating the authentic warmth of love. It cannot be copied. You cannot talk yourself into it or rouse it by straining at the emotions or by dedicating yourself solemnly to the service of mankind. Everyone has love, but it can only come out when he is convinced of the impossibility and the frustration of trying to love himself. This conviction will not come through condemnations, through hating oneself, through calling self love bad names in the universe. It comes only in the awareness that one has no self to love.
“The most intolerant advocate is he who is trying to convince himself.”
Source: Epigrams, p. 367
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Ambrose Bierce 204
American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabu… 1842–1914Related quotes
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”
Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol.78, p. 352.
Religious Wisdom
“He harms himself who does harm to another, and the evil plan is most harmful to the planner.”
οἷ γ᾽ αὐτῷ κακὰ τεύχει ἀνὴρ ἄλλῳ κακὰ τεύχων
ἡ δὲ κακὴ βουλὴ τῷ βουλεύσαντι κακίστη.
The man who does evil to another does evil to himself, and the evil counsel is most evil for him who counsels it.
He for himself weaves woe who weaves for others woe,
and evil counsel recoils on the counsellor. https://archive.org/stream/b24865898#page/432/mode/2up
Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), lines 265-266
Review of Archibald Alison's Essays on the Nature and Principles of Taste, in the Edinburgh Review (May 1811)
Alan Henry, Motorsport journalist - Henry, pg. ii
On Benjamin N. Cardozo in "Mr. Justice Cardozo" (1939); also in The Spirit of Liberty: Papers and Addresses (1952), p. 131.
Extra-judicial writings