Sydney J. Harris quotes - page 4

In shape, it is perfectly elliptical. In texture, it is smooth and lustrous. (Sydney J. Harris)
Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable and tenable philosophical position; it is not dogmatic and makes no pronouncements about the ultimate truths of the universe. It remains open to evidence and persuasion; lacking faith, it nevertheless does not deride faith. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
There are some things people can do to change and some things they cannot do - character can be formed, but temperament is given. And the strong who cannot bend are just as much to be pitied as the weak who cannot stiffen. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Otherwise you are not educated; you are merely trained. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
The principal difference between love and hate is that love is an irradiation, and hate is a concentration. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Usually, if we hate, it is the shadow of the person that we hate, rather than the substance. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
The core in the mystery of what we call personality resides in the individual mix between character and temperament. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
It's surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you're not comfortable within yourself, you can't be comfortable with others. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Never take the advice of someone who has not had your kind of trouble. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
The best thing you can give children, next to good habits, are good memories. (Sydney J. Harris)
There are always too many Democratic congressmen, too many Republican congressmen, and never enough U.S. congressmen. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
We evaluate others with a Godlike justice, but we want them to evaluate us with a Godlike compassion. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, "the greatest," but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
The best combination of parents consists of a father who is gentle beneath his firmness, and a mother who is firm beneath her gentleness. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
American parents, on the whole, do not want their sons to be artisans or craftsmen, but business or professional people. As a result, millions of youngsters are being prepared for careers they have little aptitude for and little interest in except for dubious prestige. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Time is love, above all else. It is the most precious commodity in the world and should be lavished on those we care most about. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
At it's highest level, the purpose of teaching is not to teach-it is to inspire the desire for learning. Once a student's mind is set on fire, it will find a way to provide its own fuel. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
A loser says that's the way it's always been done. A winner says there ought to be a better way. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Good teaching must be slow enough so that it is not confusing, and fast enough so that it is not boring. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Every rule in the book can be broken, except one - be who you are, and become all you were meant to be. (Sydney J. Harris)
The pessimist sees only the tunnel; the optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel; the realist sees the tunnel and the light - and the next tunnel. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Any creed whose basic doctrines do not include respect for the creeds of others, is simply power politics masquerading as philosophy. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
We believe what we want to believe, what we like to believe, what suits our prejudices and fuels our passions. View quote
Sydney J. Harris
Why do so many people yearn for an eternal life when they don't even know what to do with themselves in this brief one? View quote
Sydney J. Harris