Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 11/30

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Quotes by Historian

"A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn."

"A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Organization, Committee, Flowers, Will

14

"The enemy resembles us. Therefore, he needs to be approached not as an assembly of 'targets' to be destroyed one by one; but as a living, intelligent entity capable of acting and reacting."

"The enemy resembles us. Therefore, he needs to be approached not as an assembly of 'targets' to be destroyed one by one; but as a living, intelligent entity capable of acting and reacting."

Martin Van Creveld, Israeli Historian

Acting, Enemy, Living, Needs

14

"Thus again the Netherlands, for the first time since the fall of Rome, were united under one crown imperial. They had already been once united, in their slavery to Rome."

"Thus again the Netherlands, for the first time since the fall of Rome, were united under one crown imperial. They had already been once united, in their slavery to Rome."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

Time, First, Rome, Slavery

14

"On the day I was born, or possibly on one of the following days, my father went on a walk in the forested hills and thought of a name for me. His first son was called Daniel, and Samuel in memory of one of his forefathers."

"On the day I was born, or possibly on one of the following days, my father went on a walk in the forested hills and thought of a name for me. His first son was called Daniel, and Samuel in memory of one of his forefathers."

Immanuel Velikovsky, Belarusian Historian

Family, Father, Son, Thought, Day

14

"There have been only 268 of the past 3,421 years free of war."

"There have been only 268 of the past 3,421 years free of war."

Will Durant, American Historian

War, Past, Years

14

"Writers are frequently asked why they wrote their first book. A more interesting answer might come from asking them why they wrote their second one."

"Writers are frequently asked why they wrote their first book. A more interesting answer might come from asking them why they wrote their second one."

Len Deighton, British Historian

Photography, First, Writers

14

"The greatest luxury of riches is that they enable you to escape so much good advice."

"The greatest luxury of riches is that they enable you to escape so much good advice."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

14

"In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural."

"In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Life, Virtue, Practice, Right

14

"Success is little more than a chemical compound of man with moment."

"Success is little more than a chemical compound of man with moment."

Philip Guedalla, English Historian

14

"So the result was that as one approached a political convention for most of the 19th century and for most of the 20th century until the 1960's, part of the drama was the fact that you didn't know ultimately who was going to be the nominee at the end of that convention week."

"So the result was that as one approached a political convention for most of the 19th century and for most of the 20th century until the 1960's, part of the drama was the fact that you didn't know ultimately who was going to be the nominee at the end of that convention week."

Michael Beschloss, American Historian

Drama, End, Fact, Result

14

"The laws of probability, so true in general, so fallacious in particular."

"The laws of probability, so true in general, so fallacious in particular."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

14

"There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob."

"There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Society, Mob, Nothing

14

"Neither Johnson nor his party nor the government as a whole were willing to raise, train, equip, and then send Vietnam sufficient manpower to do the job."

"Neither Johnson nor his party nor the government as a whole were willing to raise, train, equip, and then send Vietnam sufficient manpower to do the job."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Government, Job, Party, Vietnam

14

"Reading your own material aloud forces you to listen."

"Reading your own material aloud forces you to listen."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

14

"My English text is chaste, and all licentious passages are left in the decent obscurity of a learned language."

"My English text is chaste, and all licentious passages are left in the decent obscurity of a learned language."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Literature, Language, Obscurity

14

"The participation of the people in their own government was the more significant, because the colonies actually had what England only seemed to have, - three departments of government."

"The participation of the people in their own government was the more significant, because the colonies actually had what England only seemed to have, - three departments of government."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

Government, People, England, Participation

14

"The best thing we can do if we want the Russians to let us be Americans is to let the Russians be Russian."

"The best thing we can do if we want the Russians to let us be Americans is to let the Russians be Russian."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

Politics, Americans, Want

14

"Any stigma, as the old saying is, will serve to beat a dogma."

"Any stigma, as the old saying is, will serve to beat a dogma."

Philip Guedalla, English Historian

Old, Saying, Will

14

"The Law of Triviality... briefly stated, it means that the time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved."

"The Law of Triviality... briefly stated, it means that the time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Time, Law, Will

14

"Honor wears different coats to different eyes."

"Honor wears different coats to different eyes."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

14

"What strikes me is the fact that in our society, art has become something which is only related to objects, and not to individuals, or to life."

"What strikes me is the fact that in our society, art has become something which is only related to objects, and not to individuals, or to life."

Michel Foucault, French Historian

Life, Art, Society, Fact

14

"The reporting of news has to be understood as propaganda for commodities, and events by images."

"The reporting of news has to be understood as propaganda for commodities, and events by images."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Events, News, Propaganda

14

"It is evident that in the period designated as that of the kings, when Rome commenced her career of conquest, she was, for that time and country, a great and wealthy city."

"It is evident that in the period designated as that of the kings, when Rome commenced her career of conquest, she was, for that time and country, a great and wealthy city."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Time, Career, Conquest, Country

14

"The family wage has been eroded by the same developments that have promoted consumerism as a way of life."

"The family wage has been eroded by the same developments that have promoted consumerism as a way of life."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Family, Life, Wage

14

"He will have true glory who despises it."

"He will have true glory who despises it."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

14

"The English race is the best at weeping and the worst at laughing."

"The English race is the best at weeping and the worst at laughing."

Thomas Hearne, English Historian

Nationality, Race, Weeping

14

"Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure."

"Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Virtue, Measure, Misfortune, Pleasure

14

"To be a slaveholder meant one had to regard the African American as inferior in every way."

"To be a slaveholder meant one had to regard the African American as inferior in every way."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

History, African

14

"History is the interpretation of the significance that the past has for us."

"History is the interpretation of the significance that the past has for us."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

14

"When I read that the British army had landed thirty-two thousand troops - and I had realized, not very long before, that Philadelphia only had thirty thousand people in it - it practically lifted me out of my chair."

"When I read that the British army had landed thirty-two thousand troops - and I had realized, not very long before, that Philadelphia only had thirty thousand people in it - it practically lifted me out of my chair."

David McCullough, American Historian

People, Army, Troops

14

"The Romans, we are told, were by nature a peculiarly warlike race."

"The Romans, we are told, were by nature a peculiarly warlike race."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

14

"Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses."

"Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

14

"The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive."

"The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Power, Constitution, Principles

14

"From abundance springs satiety."

"From abundance springs satiety."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Society, Abundance

14

"Imagination is not something apart and hermetic, not a way of leaving reality behind; it is a way of engaging reality."

"Imagination is not something apart and hermetic, not a way of leaving reality behind; it is a way of engaging reality."

Irving Howe, American Historian

Imagination, Reality

14

"Big media companies have lots of money and content, but they have no way to tap into a good base of users."

"Big media companies have lots of money and content, but they have no way to tap into a good base of users."

Michael King, New Zealander Historian

Money, Content, Media, Newzealander

14

"No real blood flows in the veins of the knowing subject constructed by Locke, Hume, and Kant, but rather the diluted extract of reason as a mere activity of thought."

"No real blood flows in the veins of the knowing subject constructed by Locke, Hume, and Kant, but rather the diluted extract of reason as a mere activity of thought."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Thought, Blood, Reason

14

"Of course, in the United States, which at the time was a very young country, there were also class distinctions. They weren't as pronounced, but they quickly evolved as well."

"Of course, in the United States, which at the time was a very young country, there were also class distinctions. They weren't as pronounced, but they quickly evolved as well."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

Time, Class, Country, States

14

"History not used is nothing, for all intellectual life is action, like practical life, and if you don't use the stuff well, it might as well be dead."

"History not used is nothing, for all intellectual life is action, like practical life, and if you don't use the stuff well, it might as well be dead."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

History, Life, Action, Nothing

14

"I'm not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money."

"I'm not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money."

Lord Acton, British Historian

14

"Do you see how the god always hurls his bolts at the greatest houses and the tallest trees. For he is wont to thwart whatever is greater than the rest."

"Do you see how the god always hurls his bolts at the greatest houses and the tallest trees. For he is wont to thwart whatever is greater than the rest."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

God, Houses, Rest, Trees

14

"Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success."

"Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Success, Appearance, Nothing

14

"The great men of power who seek to change the nations they belong to usually are pretty terrible people."

"The great men of power who seek to change the nations they belong to usually are pretty terrible people."

John Keegan, English Historian

Change, Men, Power, People

14

"The proper reply to right wing religiosity is not to insist that politics and religion don't mix. This is the stock response of the left."

"The proper reply to right wing religiosity is not to insist that politics and religion don't mix. This is the stock response of the left."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Politics, Religion, Right

14

"There are no better cosmetics than a severe temperance and purity, modesty and humility, a gracious temper and calmness of spirit; and there is no true beauty without the signatures of these graces in the very countenance."

"There are no better cosmetics than a severe temperance and purity, modesty and humility, a gracious temper and calmness of spirit; and there is no true beauty without the signatures of these graces in the very countenance."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Beauty, Cosmetics, Humility, Modesty

14

"I am indeed rich, since my income is superior to my expenses, and my expense is equal to my wishes."

"I am indeed rich, since my income is superior to my expenses, and my expense is equal to my wishes."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

14

"Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice."

"Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice."

Will Durant, American Historian

Change, Civilization

14

"He was a great thundering paradox of a man."

"He was a great thundering paradox of a man."

William Manchester, American Historian

14

"There is nothing in socialism that a little age or a little money will not cure."

"There is nothing in socialism that a little age or a little money will not cure."

Will Durant, American Historian

Age, Money, Cure, Nothing

14

"One of the strongest and most persistent elements in national development has been that inheritance of political traditions and usages which the new settlers brought with them."

"One of the strongest and most persistent elements in national development has been that inheritance of political traditions and usages which the new settlers brought with them."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

Development, Inheritance, Traditions

14

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