Should Have Known Better Quotes

• Today we know that World War II began not in 1939 or 1941 but in the 1920's and 1930's when those who should have known better persuaded themselves that they were not their brother's keeper.

  Hubert H. Humphrey

  Brother, War, Should Have

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  Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

  Haile Selassie

  Procrastination, Should Have, Voice

  1963 Address to a special session of the UN General Assembly, 4 Oct, making him the first head of state to address both that organization and the League of Nations.

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• He should have known better because, early in his learnings under his brother Mahmoud, he had discovered that long human words (the longer the better) were easy, unmistakable, and rarely changed their meanings, but short words were slippery, unpredictable changing their meanings without any pattern. Or so he seemed to grok. Short human words were never like a short Martian word - such as grok which forever meant exactly the same thing. Short human words were like trying to lift water with a knife. And this had been a very short word.

  Robert A. Heinlein

  Brother, Should Have, Knives

  9 Copy quote

• Maybe some things are better left broken and scattered Veiled in darkness, secret bitterness and self-doubt I should have known better Than to start something that I couldn't finish That I couldn't care about That I couldn't remember starting in the first place I don't want to know you You went years without me You might as well keep going.

  Henry Rollins

  Self, Should Have, Years

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• I should have known better. Pro-life arguments are now based on scientific evidence and the pro-choice arguments are not. That is a cultural, historical fact.

  Stanley Fish

  Should Have, Choices, Pro Life

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• Capitalism with near-full employment was an impressive spectacle. But a growth in wealth is not at all the same thing as reducing poverty. A universal paean was raised in praise of growth. Growth was going to solve all problems. No need to bother about poverty. Growth will lift up the bottom and poverty will disappear without any need to pay attention to it. The economists, who should have known better, fell in with the same cry.

  Joan Robinson

  Should Have, Growth, Needs

  Joan Robinson (2014). “Contributions to Modern Economics”, p.9, Academic Press

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• Last night when I was commenting on the FBI and the CIA, the sound went off for 27 minutes. I should have known better.

  Jimmy Carter

  Night, Should Have, Sound

  4 Copy quote