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My faith in human dignity consists in the belief that man is the greatest scamp on earth. Human dignity must be associated with the idea of a scamp and not with that of an obedient, disciplined and regimented soldier.

Lin Yutang

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Lin Yutang
Age: 80 †
Born: 1895
Born: October 10
Died: 1976
Died: March 26
Lexicographer
Linguist
Novelist
Philosopher
Translator
Writer
Must
Greatest
Men
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Regimented
Faith
Disciplined
Idea
Obedient
Earth
Associated
Ideas
Consists
Human
Soldier
Humans
Dignity

More quotes by Lin Yutang

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To glorify the past and paint the future is easy, to survey the present and emerge with some light and understanding is difficult.
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China is the greatest mystifying and stupefying fact in the modern world.
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I have done my best. That is about all the philosophy of living one needs.
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In contrast to logic, there is common sense, or still better, the Spirit of Reasonableness.
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The world I believe is far too serious, and being far too serious ... it has need of a wise and merry philosophy.
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Where there are too many policemen, there is no liberty. Where there are too many soldiers, there is no peace. Where there are too many lawyers, there is no justice.
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It is not so much what you believe in that matters, as the way in which you believe it and proceed to translate that belief into action.
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The purpose of a short story is ... that the reader shall come away with the satisfactory feeling that a particular insight into human character has been gained, or that his (or her) knowledge of life has been deepened, or that pity, love or sympathy for a human being is awakened.
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This I conceive to be the chemical function of humor: to change the character of our thought.
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We should not expect people to be good, but should make it impossible for them to be bad.
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What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?
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As for international understanding, I feel that macaroni has done more for our appreciation of Italy than Mussolini.
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Reality - Dreams = Animal Being Reality + Dreams = A Heart-Ache (usually called Idealism) Reality + Humor = Realism (also called Conservatism) Dreams - Humor = Fanaticism Dreams + Humor = Fantasy Reality + Dreams + Humor = Wisdom
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If man be sensible and one fine morning, while he is lying in bed, counts at the tips of his fingers how many things in this life truly will give him enjoyment, invariably he will find food is the first one.
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I have a hankering to go back to the Orient and discard my necktie. Neckties strangle clear thinking.
Lin Yutang
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Few men who have liberated themselves from the fear of God and the fear of death are yet able to liberate themselves from the fear of man.
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A vague uncritical idealism always lends itself to ridicule and too much of it might be a danger to mankind, leading it round in a futile wild-goose chase for imaginary ideals.
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Let us face ourselves bravely as we are. For only a philosophy that recognizes reality can lead us into true happiness, and only that kind of philosophy is sound and healthy.
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An educated man is one who has the loves and hatreds together.
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Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
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