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November 30

Quotes of the day from previous years:

2004
The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook. ~ William James
  • selected by Kalki


2005
Hello. My name is Iñigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. ~ Mandy Patinkin (born 30 November 1952) as "Inigo Montoya" in The Princess Bride
  • proposed by MosheZadka


2006
It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is an admirable work, and I studied it intently. The quotations when engraved upon the memory give you good thoughts. They also make you anxious to read the authors and look for more. ~ Winston Churchill (born 30 November 1874).
  • proposed by Fys


2007
The truth is, when all is said and done, one does not teach a subject, one teaches a student how to learn it. ~ Jacques Barzun (born November 30, 1907)
  • proposed by InvisibleSun


2008
The one thing that unifies men in a given age is not their individual philosophies but the dominant problem that these philosophies are designed to solve. ~ Jacques Barzun
  • proposed by InvisibleSun


2009 : Rank or add further suggestions…
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Quotes by people born this day, already used as QOTD:
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  • We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another. ~ Jonathan Swift
    • used 26 September 2004, selected by Kalki


Ranking system:
4 : Excellent - should definitely be used.
3 : Very Good - strong desire to see it used.
2 : Good - some desire to see it used.
1 : Acceptable - but with no particular desire to see it used.
0 : Not acceptable - not appropriate for use as a quote of the day.

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Suggestions


When plugged in, the least elaborate computer can be relied on to work to the fullest extent of its capacity. The greatest mind cannot be relied on for the simplest thing; its variability is its superiority. ~ Jacques Barzun
  • 3 InvisibleSun 03:25, 19 November 2006 (UTC)
  • 2 because I have trouble working out exactly what he's trying to say. Fys. “Ta fys aym”. 23:15, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
  • 1 Zarbon 17:47, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Lyle 16:01, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)


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Criticism will need an injection of humility — that is, a recognition of its role as ancillary to the arts, needed only occasionally in a temporary capacity. Since the critic exists only for introducing and explaining, he must be readily intelligible; he has no special vocabulary: criticism is in no way a science or a system. ~ Jacques Barzun
  • 3 InvisibleSun 03:25, 19 November 2006 (UTC)
  • 2. Fys. “Ta fys aym”. 23:15, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
  • 1 Zarbon 17:47, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)


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Old age is like learning a new profession. And not one of your own choosing. ~ Jacques Barzun
  • 3 InvisibleSun 06:41, 29 November 2007 (UTC)
  • 1 Zarbon 17:47, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Lyle 16:02, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)


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I have always been — I think any student of history almost inevitably is — a cheerful pessimist. ~ Jacques Barzun
  • 3 InvisibleSun 06:41, 29 November 2007 (UTC)
  • 1 Zarbon 17:47, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)


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A soldier's first duty is to obey, otherwise you might as well do away with soldiering. ~ Albert Kesselring (born November 30)
  • 4 because this is one of my three alltime favorite quotes. A soldier is empty without his order, which defines him. And a true soldier is only a soldier if he is disciplined and furthermore, loyal to the bitter end. Loyalty and obedience goes hand in hand as a foundation of creating the principle for which I believe strongly, the principle of the soldier. Zarbon 04:01, 18 April 2008 (UTC)
    • SOURCE: The Nuremberg Interviews by Leon Goldensohn, Robert Gellately - History - 2004 - Page 322
  • 1 This is exactly the kind of mentality that fueled the holocaust. Let he who has no conscience obey for obedience's sake. Lyle 17:30, 10 October 2008 (UTC)
    • This has nothing to do with that. Kesselring was Field Marshal of the Air Fleet. He was responsible for sending millions of bombers to their demise and he was in charge of the Italian campaign, a very powerful man. As chief of the luftwaffe, he dealt with Italian opposition, and on some occasions, defiance and betrayal. When asked by Leon what he believed to be the most important quality of a soldier, this was his response. And I agree with this strongly. And this goes for all countries in the world. A soldier must be loyal and obey. The very word soldier (soldat) is an old French word derived from "solidarius", latin for "to pay." To pay a debt so to speak, to one's country. Magnificently enthralling quote for me and one of my three all-time favorites. Zarbon 03:00, 30 October 2008 (UTC)
    • What is the powerful meaning behind this quote? It essentially says, "You should obey, because that's the point of being a soldier." I get it. These words are neither thought-provoking nor inspiring. But I'll admit that I agree with the second half of this quote. Lyle 19:55 5, November 2008 (UTC)
    • I myself study military issues and I find this quote to be the best among the suggestions for the day. Whether or not the quote is thought provoking is completely irrelevant. The second half of the quote, like you said, is what makes it powerful. Fossil 23:30, 5 November 2008 (UTC)
      • I never said the second half was powerful. I said I agreed with it, as in, I agree with the idea of doing away with soldiery. Lyle 16:43, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
    • I'm glad that you like my suggestion. I'm sure you will like many of my other suggestions. Thanks for the confidence. Zarbon 06:34, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
    • To Lyle: If you don't like soldiers and service, then it's obvious you wouldn't like it. But for people who love military history, propaganda, and operations, such as myself, it's an epitome of a quote. It depends on what you like, really. I'm a military lover, therefore, the quote is powerful. Some people like the idea...some people don't. A matter of opinion really. Zarbon 06:55, 7 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 4 Waheedone 06:49, 4 November 2008 (UTC)
    • Waheedone, if you are going to rate my favorite suggestion so highly, please explain the reason as to why. Zarbon 15:18, 10 November 2008 (UTC)
    • Lyle, Waheedone...the both of you have absolutely no history for participating in this project aside from casting votes here on the qotd suggestions. If anything, neither of your votes should be taken into account. I'd say the same exact thing about Fossil, but I see he has recently added some pages worth of material. Then again, it's still not a lengthy amount of material or history and even his votes should not be counted. I'm just stating how I feel. At this point, the only votes that should be counted are those of InvisibleSun, Kalki, and myself. There should be voting limitations to people who haven't contributed to wikiquote and are only here to cast votes. Zarbon 15:42, 12 November 2008 (UTC)
      • Zarbon - you seem to be taking this very personally. Calm down. It is evident that you want this quote to be chosen at any expense, including the proposal to ban others from voting. I think I've been voting on QOTD's for about 6 months (and reading them for much longer) and I've recently made my first contribution to the archives. That should be enough, if even necessary. This is Wikiquote, after all. Lyle 20:01, 13 November 2008 (UTC)
        • I thought I made it blatantly obvious how important this is to me. But that is completely besides the point. The fact that questionable people who just cast votes without having any history of contributions is what is most annoying. I agree with Kalki in the notion that all people who do not have any history of contributions should not be allowed to vote. There should be limitations on these grounds and this holds merit because random people aren't supposed to vote without having any history other than the qotd suggestions. I concur with Kalki fully. Only the votes of InvisibleSun, Kalki, and myself, along with some reputable long-time users who have contributed to wikiquote heavily (other than the qotd) should be able to participate in the initial voting process. However, this is not the place to discuss that. When it comes to this specific quote, yes it is one of my most favorites of all time and yes, I have waited a very long time for its acceptance. Zarbon 03:10, 14 November 2008 (UTC)
          • Read QOTD Guidelines. "Any registered user is invited to make proposals, or to rank each candidate on these pages:" I am a registered user. I rank this candidate 1, and I'll move it to its chronilogical space again, where it belongs. Please stop abusing the system to get your quote chosen. Lyle 21:58, 17 November 2008 (UTC)
            • Two key things to remember here: first, you are not an administrator, so you don't need to worry about "chronological order" and stating QOTD guidelines, which also is a bit suspicious since only some, and truly some administrators stress the very minor and insignificant matter of the ordering. The very fact that you would bring that up is suspicious. And secondly, your incessant and constant return and response will not help to include your votes. You have absolutely no contribution either other than casting votes. You deserve the same treatment as any other random person. Zarbon 12:36, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
              • I have contributed (albeit not much), and you make little sense. Lyle 14:30, 20 November 2008 (UTC)
                • I make a lot of sense, and once a rubric is in place, a common guideline if you will, then there will be limitations for voting, especially from people who have no actual contributions. Zarbon 16:03, 20 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC) While it has historical notoriety, I strongly prefer not to memorialize it.
  • 1 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 InvisibleSun 20:22, 29 November 2008 (UTC)


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Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live. ~ Mark Twain (born November 30, 1835)
  • 4 Lyle 15:36, 24 July 2008 (UTC) 3 Lyle 20:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)
  • 0 Zarbon 04:25, 2 August 2008 (UTC)
    • Just from examining the votes on quotes for this day, I get the impression that Zarbon, Fossil, and Waheedone are either friends or the same person... No matter, this quote is already well-known among bicyclists, and I wouldn't expect everyone to find it humorous. Lyle 15:46, 5 November 2008 (UTC)
    • Hello. I am sorry if you feel that people cannot share the same opinion. I don't particularly find this quote worthwhile myself. Although I have been examining many of the quotes and I don't find this particular one to be deservant of a 1, much less a 4. I think that the quotes have to have some form of impact myself. Being humorous doesn't make it an excellent quote. The fact that you even imply that I am another person is bad enough, but that you believe your suggestion is better... Fossil 23:27, 5 November 2008 (UTC)
    • I'm sure Twain has more worthwhile quotes in comparison to this one, not that I'd suggest it for this year because I am hoping that one of my three alltime favorite quotes makes it. I'm a little upset by your remark Lyle. I don't particularly take well to being referred to as other members. I've been wrongfully accused in the past and I'd appreciate that you do not infer upon something like that. Just because people agree with me, doesn't mean that it's wrong. I'm actually moreso curious as to why you even thought that a quote such as "Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live" would be liked by others. Just because you feel it's a good quote, doesn't mean that others would feel that way also. Zarbon 06:34, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
      • You mean "imply", not "infer". But I didn't imply; I outright said what I thought, and I still believe it. Lyle 16:43, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
        • Why don't you examine Twain further and try to suggest some other quotes by him. This one's too short and bent on humor rather than a powerful image, hence how I personally give quotes high ratings myself. And for this entire year, this date is the most important to me right now...so I honestly hope that my favorite quote makes it above all else. Zarbon 06:58, 7 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 InvisibleSun 20:22, 29 November 2008 (UTC)


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We have not the reverent feeling for the rainbow that the savage has, because we know how it is made. We have lost as much as we gained by prying into that matter. ~ Mark Twain (date of birth)
  • 3 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC) I like the first part of this statement much, and can understand the reasons for the rest of the statement, but I can't agree entirely with the last sentence.
Me either, I find it poignantly ironic: thought provoking in that direct experience of rainbows belies the notion that scientific understanding could diminish anything. ~ Ningauble 17:23, 28 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 Zarbon 06:53, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 InvisibleSun 20:22, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Lyle 20:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)


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It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare. ~ Mark Twain (date of birth)
  • 3 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC) I hesitated to give it a 4 only because it is understated.
  • 3 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC) but leaning toward a 4.
  • 1 but I might give this higher another year. Zarbon 06:53, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
    • after further examination, it seems like another of this month's selections, one that I had suggested prior and which was already used: "To be in good moral condition requires at least as much training as to be in good physical condition." ~ Jawaharlal Nehru. It's a reverse opposite of the same statement. Zarbon 01:08, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 InvisibleSun 20:22, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Lyle 20:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)


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The citizen who thinks he sees that the commonwealth's political clothes are worn out, and yet holds his peace and does not agitate for a new suit, is disloyal, he is a traitor. That he may be the only one who thinks he sees this decay, does not excuse him: it is his duty to agitate anyway, and it is the duty of others to vote him down if they do not see the matter as he does. ~ Mark Twain (date of birth)
  • 3 Ningauble 19:32, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Kalki 02:42, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 1 but I might give this higher another year. Zarbon 06:53, 27 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 Antiquary 13:19, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 3 InvisibleSun 20:22, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
  • 2 Lyle 20:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)


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Human beings can be awful cruel to one another. ~ Mark Twain, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  • 3 Lyle 20:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)


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A sound heart is a safer guide than an ill-trained conscience. ~ Mark Twain
  • 4 Lyle 20:40, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

 
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