Seriousness Quotes - Page 15

• If you can keep your head when all about are losing theirs, it's just possible that you haven't grasped the situation.

  Jean Kerr

  Lost, Situation, Understood

  "Please Don't Eat the Daisies". Book by Jean Kerr, 1957.

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• Plato says a multitude can never philosophize and hence can never recognize the seriousness of philosophy or who really philosophizes. Attempting to influence the multitude results in forced prostitution.

  Allan Bloom

  Plato, Philosophy, Influence

  "Giants and Dwarfs". Book by Allan Bloom. Chapter: "Commerce and Culture," p. 286, 1990.

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• I thought about societies where exceptional fortunes are built up in industries with very little connection to out sincere and significant needs, industries where it is difficult to escape from the disparity between a seriousness of means and a triviality of ends.

  Alain de Botton

  Mean, Connections, Needs

  Alain de Botton (2009). “The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work”, p.73, Penguin UK

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• If you will learn the seriousness of life, and its beauty also, live for your husband; make him happy.

  Fredrika Bremer

  Husband, Wedlock, Ifs

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• Eric Schlosser's book on the economy and strategies of the fast-food business should be read by anyone who likes to take their children to fast-food restaurants. I shall certainly never do that again. He employs a long, cold burn, a quiet and impassioned accumulation of detail, with calm, wit and clarity. (...) Fast Food Nation is witness to the rigour and seriousness of the best American journalism, readable, reliable and extremely carefully done.

  Adam Nicolson

  Children, Book, Long

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• Though Americans talk a good deal about the virtue of being serious, they generally prefer people who are solemn over people who are serious. In politics, the rare candidate who is serious, like Adlai Stevenson, is easily overwhelmed by one who is solemn, like General Eisenhower. This is probably because it is hard for most people to recognize seriousness, which is rare, especially in politics, but comfortable to endorse solemnity, which is as commonplace as jogging.

  Russell Baker

  People, Jogging, Serious

  "So This Is Depravity". Book by Russell Baker, 1980.

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• Myths, as compared with folk tales, are usually in a special category of seriousness: they are believed to have "really happened,"or to have some exceptional significance in explaining certain features of life, such as ritual. Again, whereas folk tales simply interchange motifs and develop variants, myths show an odd tendency to stick together and build up bigger structures. We have creation myths, fall and flood myths, metamorphose and dying-god myths.

  Northrop Frye

  Fall, Together, Special

  Northrop Frye, Germaine Warkentin (2006). “Educated Imagination and Other Writings on Critical Theory, 1933-1962”, p.412, University of Toronto Press

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• We are growing serious, and, let me tell you, that's the very next step to being dull.

  Joseph Addison

  Stupid, People, Next Steps

  Joseph Addison, Richard Hurd, Henry George Bohn (1868). “The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison”, p.197

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• At the next election he'll offer the British public an alternative that provides weight and substance and seriousness in a political debate that is, frankly, increasingly obsessed with modishness and flim-flam.

  Paddy Ashdown

  Political, Weight, Next

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• I like the sound of that, crashing Monica's party," he glanced at Michael, then quickly away. "What about you? That break some kind of vampire rules or something?" "Blow me Shane." "Boys," Eve said primly. "Language. Minor at the table." "Well," Shane said, "I wasn't actually planning to do it." Claire rolled her eyes. "Not like it's the first time I've heard it. Or said it." "You shouldnt say it," Michael said, all seriousness. "No, I mean it. Girls should say 'eat me' not 'blow me'. Wouldn't recommend 'bite me' though. Not around here.

  Rachel Caine

  Girl, Party, Mean

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