Wit & Wisdom
from H.L. Mencken, Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, Friedrich Nietzsche, Eugene McCarthy, John Wooden, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Evelyn Waugh
“There is something about a national convention that makes it as fascinating as a revival or a hanging. It is vulgar, it is ugly, it is stupid, it is tedious, it is hard upon both the higher cerebral centers and the gluteus maximus, and yet it is somehow charming.”
H.L. Mencken, quoted in The Wall Street Journal
“There go the people. I must follow them. I am their leader.’’
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, quoted in The New York Times
“The final lesson of history: ‘Let’s never go back there again!’”
Friedrich Nietzsche, quoted in the Newark, N.J., Star-Ledger
“Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it’s important.’’
A free daily email with the day’s biggest news and analysis – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Eugene McCarthy, quoted in the London Independent
“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
Basketball coach John Wooden, quoted in the Memphis Commercial Appeal
“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, quoted in United Press International
“Punctuality is the virtue of the bored.”
Evelyn Waugh, quoted in the London Times