So much for easy. :)

Ignorance is of a peculiar nature; once dispelled, it is impossible to re-establish it. It is not originally a thing of itself, but is only the absence of knowledge; and though man may be kept ignorant, he cannot be made ignorant. It has never yet been discovered how to make a man unknow his knowledge.- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man [1791]

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian." George Washington, General Orders, Fitzpatrick 11:342. (May 2, 1778.)

(Carl Sagan, Cosmos, 1980)

Art is individualism, and individualism is a disturbing and disintegrating force. Therein lies its immense value
For what it seeks to disturb is monotony of type, slavery of custom, tyranny of habit, and the reduction of man
to the level of a machine.- Oscar Wilde

What the government is good at is collecting taxes, taking away your freedoms and killing people. Its not good at much else.Author Tom Clancy

"Never let schooling interfere with your education." --Mark Twain

Would have been my graduation quote, but I got a GED. There's a connection there.

The danger of minding people's business is twofold. First, there is the danger that a man may leave his business unattended to; and, second, there is the danger of an impertinent interference with another's affairs. The "friends of humanity" almost always run into both dangers.- William Graham Sumner, What Social Classes Owe to Each Other [1883]

Will add this one to my quotes collection, of which i am a very particular afficionado. Thanks, Rebekah... and welcome to linuxquestions!

"The perfect dictatorship would have the appearance of a democracy, a prison without walls in which the prisoners would not even dream of escaping; a system of slavery where, through entertainment and consumption, the slaves would love their servitude."

- Aldous Huxley (Brave New World)

That sounds disturbingly familiar.

Yes.

Even more disturbing (and appropriate) is that two guys in Venezuela and Nicaragua recognize this, but most U.S. folks do not.

A government which will turn its tanks upon its people, for any reason, is a government with a taste of blood and a thirst for power and must either be smartly rebuked, or blindly obeyed in deadly fear.John Salter

The powerful do not commit crimes; they have missteps!! They do not have a different set of rules; they have no rules at all!! -Cousin Lucky

Member response
 

Hi,

Quote:

"As they say 'live and let live': but if it does harm then bring things to notice and correct or rectify." - My own mangled thought