“Our journalised world does not regard words as part of any connected argument, but as disconnected emotional epithets thrown at some object; the only question being whether it is an object of hatred or idolatry, and whether the things thrown are bombs or bouquets. Nobody thinks that anybody might possibly have another object, the object called truth, and try to reach it by thinking instead of throwing things.”

G.K. Chesterton quoted in Dale Ahlquist “Why is America not Normal? G.K.’s Weekly, Volume 13 March 14, 1031 – September 5, 1931” in Gilbert The Magazine of the Society of G.K. Chesterton Vol. 26 # 6 (July-August 2023)

“Irresolute men are sometimes very persistent in their undertakings, because if they gave up their design they would have to make a second resolution.”

“Leopardi” quoted as “Thought du jour” in “Social Studies” in Globe & Mail May 18, 2007

“the secret of wisdom is detachment without withdrawal.”

Northrop Frye The Great Code [describing the attitude of the author of Ecclesiastes].

“It’s all fun and games until somebody loses a soul.”

One of mine from Nov. 3, 2023 [inspired by a news story about the trendiness of Satanism in popular culture].

“It is perfectly obvious that in any decent occupation (such as bricklaying or writing books) there are only two ways (in any special sense) of succeeding. One is by doing very good work, the other is by cheating.”

G.K. Chesterton quoted without further details in “News With Views” “Compiled by Mark Pilon” in Gilbert The Magazine of the Society of G.K. Chesterton Vol. 26 # 6 (July-August 2023)

“Antisemitism is both a sort of mental impairment and a barrier to learning. If you think that ‘the Jews’ control the banks, you don’t understand finance, and will never understand it because you have this happy conspiracy theory and you think you already know everything. If you think ‘the Jews’ control the weather with their space lasers, you’re not going to bother to study meteorological science. A society in which this kind of antisemitism is prevalent is not going to be a sign of a society on the cutting edge of science or business or economics or anything else. In our society, these beliefs are toxic. They’re terrible for Jews, but they are actually poison to what makes America, America.”

Walter Russell Mead in conversation with Bari Weiss on The Free Press October 31, 2023 [https://www.thefp.com/p/are-we-tipping-into-world-war-three].

“Nothing is so exhausting as indecision, and nothing is so futile.”

Bertrand Russell, quoted as “Thought du jour” in “Social Studies” in Globe & Mail April 16, 2007.

“You don’t hit off tackle in baseball, and you can’t play the game with your teeth gritted.”

Ray Miller, Baltimore Orioles pitching coach, quoted in Thomas Boswell How Life Imitates the World Series