Wit & Wisdom
from Benjamin Franklin, Harry Truman, George Orwell, Mark Twain, James Thurber, Dorothy Thompson, George Carlin
“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.”
Benjamin Franklin, quoted in the Raleigh, N.C., Chronicle
“A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.”
Subscribe to 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
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Harry Truman, quoted in the Queensland, Australia, Courier Mail
“On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good and not quite all the time.”
George Orwell, quoted in the London Mirror
“Buy land because they’re not making it anymore.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Mark Twain, quoted in the London Guardian
“There are two kinds of light—the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.”
James Thurber, quoted in the Mobile, Ala., Press-Register
“Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.”
Dorothy Thompson, quoted in the Associated Press
“It’s never just a game when you’re winning.”
George Carlin, quoted in the St. Paul, Minn., Pioneer Press
-
National debt: Why Congress no longer cares
Feature Rising interest rates, tariffs and Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill could sent the national debt soaring
-
Why are military experts so interested in Ukraine's drone attack?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The Zelenskyy government's massive surprise assault on Russian airfields was a decisive tactical victory — could it also be the start of a new era in autonomous warfare?
-
Critics push back as the government goes after Job Corps
The Explainer For at-risk teens, the program has been a lifeline