August 15 Quotations

Quotes of the day from previous years:

2003

Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have. ~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

selected by Nanobug

2004

Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
~ T. S. Eliot ~

selected by Kalki

2005

To listen to some devout people, one would imagine that God never laughs. ~ Sri Aurobindo (born 15 August 1872), also Independence Day of India (15 August 1947)

proposed by Kalki

2006

Call for the grandest of all earthly spectacles, what is that? It is the sun going to his rest. Call for the grandest of all human sentiments, what is that? It is that man should forget his anger before he lies down to sleep. ~ Thomas De Quincey (born 15 August 1785)

proposed by InvisibleSun

2007

The aggressive and quite illogical idea of a single religion for all mankind, a religion universal by the very force of its narrowness, one set of dogmas, one cult, one system of ceremonies, one ecclesiastical ordinance, one array of prohibitions and injunctions which all minds must accept on peril of persecution by men and spiritual rejection or eternal punishment by God, that grotesque creation of human unreason which has been the parent of so much intolerance, cruelty and obscurantism and aggressive fanaticism, has never been able to take firm hold of the Indian mentality. ~ Sri Aurobindo (date of birth, and the 60th Independence day of India)

proposed by Kalki

2008

A form of government that is not the result of a long sequence of shared experiences, efforts, and endeavors can never take root. ~ Napoleon I of France

proposed by Kalki

2009

The supreme truths are neither the rigid conclusions of logical reasoning nor the affirmations of credal statement, but fruits of the soul's inner experience. ~ Sri Aurobindo

proposed by Kalki

2010

Suggestions

India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only. ~ Mark Twain in honour of the India independence day

3 ~ MosheZadka (Talk) 06:40, 20 July 2005 (UTC)
3 AllanHainey 12:00, 26 July 2005 (UTC)
2 Kalki 18:48, 11 August 2005 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 23:28, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 15:35, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

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This country's planted thick with laws from coast to coast — man's laws, not God's — and if you cut them down — and you're just the man to do it — d'you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake. ~ Robert Bolt (born August 15, 1924)

3 Kalki 16:31, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 23:28, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
2 Zarbon 15:35, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

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Indian religion has always felt that since the minds, the temperaments and the intellectual affinities of men are unlimited in their variety, a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be allowed to the individual in his approach to the Infinite. ~ Sri Aurobindo

3 Kalki 18:23, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 23:28, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 15:35, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
3 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

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Since one must take sides, one might as well choose the side that is victorious, the side which devastates, loots, and burns. Considering the alternative, it is better to eat than to be eaten. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because it is always the victor who smiles and the vanquished who remains guilty. Truly, enigmatically, it is better to eat than be eaten, complete ideology of darwinism defined and a very militant persona to embody, which I myself believe holds powerful enthralling magnetism and high moral standards. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
1 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
1 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) As I said for a quote on the 14th, "The same sentiment has been stated much more "pleasingly" (for grievous lack of a better word)."

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A king is sometimes obliged to commit crimes; but they are the crimes of his position. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because the rank of king in itself is characterized as a crime. Very magnificent explanation of blame toward the highest rank. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
1 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

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A picture is worth a thousand words. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because actions are always speak louder than words, and as such, similarly, an image speaks a thousand words in a thousand ways. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
3 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
~ Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) Is this, in fact, originally Napoleon's quote? It's unsourced in his article, and I think it's slightly inappropriate and POV as QOTD to ascribe an ancient / anonymous quote to a particular historical figure.

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Better to have a known enemy than a hidden ally. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

4 because this is very true and holds high moral value...the hidden is always more dangerous than that which we can see. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) I definitely don't think this is "very true." I could give some examples, but this isn't the place for discourse. There's definitely a problem with quotes that seem to have "lyrical validity" and are thus accepted, when in fact, in the real world it is rather obvious that the opposite is true. There may be some "wisdom" gained in looking at the world in such a way for a moment, but often upon realistic observation, they prove absurd. I choose the guardian angel....

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Cruelty can only be justified by necessity. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because this is very true, where cruelty has become a standardized rationale for human behavior and necessity has been entangled as one of its most dominating excuses. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) This would be a really good quote if Napoleon then said something about the epistemological uncertainty and dubious nature of necessity.

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I have made all the calculations; fate will do the rest. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because in the end, fate and destiny has always been a major part of mythological and mysterious analogies, and more importantly, in Greek teachings, has given the basis that no one can escape from their fate. This works especially well in the case of Napoleon, who overestimated his chances and ended up with failure against Russia and in the long run, in complete exile, brilliantly maneuvered to the very fate which had sealed him historic.Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC) though leaning toward a 3 or even a 4, but would extend this to begin with "If the art of war were nothing but the art of avoiding risks, glory would become the prey of mediocre minds. ..."
2 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
3 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) As an interesting side-note, this relates strongly to a lot of Arabic / Islamic philosophy. It really is a healthy / pragmatic way to look at life in a lot of situations, but the association with Napoleon may tint this particular quote too strongly.

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In victory, you deserve Champagne; in defeat, you need it. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because sometimes a drink can truly calm one in a moment of defeat. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
1 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
~ Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) Perfect (text-book) addictive mindset! I'm not sure what to give this one, it's important for a much different reason that Zarbon posits.

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Speeches pass away, but acts remain. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because actions truly speak louder than words. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC) There are quite a few ancient figures that we have fragments extant of what they said, but know little, if anything, of what they did. That doesn't, in any way, defeat the idea "actions speak louder than words," but it is related.

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The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast. ~ Napoleon I of France (born August 15)

3 because perseverence and dominating are very admirable qualities, and believing that nothing will topple you is key to determination. Zarbon 06:38, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

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If all the world must see the world
As the world the world hath seen,
Then it were better for the world
That the world had never been. ~ Charles Godfrey Leland

3 Zarbon 05:36, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
1 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

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More glorious to merit a sceptre than to possess one. ~ Napoleon I of France

3 Kalki 00:41, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
2 Zarbon 03:50, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
3 InvisibleSun 17:45, 14 August 2008 (UTC)
3 Peace and Passion ("I'm listening....") 20:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

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