Benign Quotes

• The nature of peoples is first crude, then severe, then benign, then delicate, finally dissolute.

  Giambattista Vico

  Nature, Firsts, Fierce

  Giambattista Vico (2015). “The New Science of Giambattista Vico”, p.153, Cornell University Press

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• No pleasure is simpler, no luxury cheaper, no consciousness-altering substance more benign.

  James Norwood Pratt

  Luxury, Substance, Consciousness

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• Sometimes it's better to have a benign dictator than a dumb democracy, to be honest.

  Serj Tankian

  Dumb, Democracy, Honest

  "Biography/ Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

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• Some find that very optimistic people have benign illusions about themselves. These people may think they have more control, or more skill, than they actually do. Others have found that optimistic people have a good handle on reality. The jury is still out.

  Martin Seligman

  Optimistic, Thinking, Reality

  "Martin Seligman : Pursuing Happiness With a Positive Outlook, not a Pill". Interview with Steve Proffitt, articles.latimes.com. January 24, 1999.

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• The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.

  Carl Sagan

  Cosmos, Existentialism, Astronomy And Universe

  "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage". Book by Carl Sagan, p. 250, 1980.

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• Even when there are banalities, they're usually kind of benign banalities.

  Michael McKean

  Kind, Banality

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• The most important words in the English language are not 'I love you' but 'it's benign.'

  Woody Allen

  Love You, Important, Language

  Deconstructing Harry, www.imdb.com. 1997.

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• When from our better selves we have too long been parted by the hurrying world, and droop. Sick of its business, of its pleasures tired, how gracious, how benign is solitude.

  William Wordsworth

  Business, Tired, Self

  William Wordsworth (1970). “The Prelude: Or, Growth of a Poet's Mind (text of 1805)”, p.24, Oxford University Press on Demand

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• The plausible outcomes range from the gradual and benign to the more precipitous and damaging.

  Timothy Geithner

  Outcomes, Range, Plausible

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• I had been feeling a little rum. I didn't think it was anything serious because years ago I felt a lump and it was benign. I assumed this would be too. It kind of takes the wind out of your sails, and I don't know what the future holds, if anything.

  Maggie Smith

  Thinking, Years, Wind

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• wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth.

  Emily Bronte

  Slumber, Earth, Quiet

  Wuthering Heights ch. 34 (1847)

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• Pity is a benign form of abuse.

  Michael J. Fox

  Abuse, Pity, Form

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• If we allow public funds to be used to support our relatively benign, morally grounded schools, we will have to allow those public funds to be used for any type of private school.

  Jonathan Kozol

  School, Support, Type

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• The most beautiful words in the English language are 'not guilty'.

  Maxim Gorky

  Beautiful, Money, Business

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• For the first time, the first, I laid my heart open to the benign indifference of the universe. To feel it so like myself, indeed so brotherly, made me realize that I'd been happy, and that I was happy still.

  Albert Camus

  Happiness, Heart, Firsts

  L'Etranger (The Stranger) pt. 2, ch. 5 (1942)

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• It was as if that great rush of anger had washed me clean, emptied me of hope, and, gazing up at the dark sky spangled with its signs and stars, for the first time, the first, I laid my heart open to the benign indifference of the universe. To feel it so like myself, indeed, so brotherly, made me realize that I'd been happy, and that I was happy still. For all to be accomplished, for me to feel less lonely, all that remained to hope was that on the day of my execution there should be a huge crowd of spectators and that they should greet me with howls of execration.

  Albert Camus

  Lonely, Stars, Philosophy

  L'Etranger (The Stranger) pt. 2, ch. 5 (1942)

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• I'd like to do more Shakespeare. I'd like to do Iago in Othello. I look so benign. It would be interesting to see that black evil come out of my soul

  Kyle MacLachlan

  Evil, Interesting, Soul

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• Acid wasn't getting a whole lot of bad press at the time, and as I saw the whole bad-press thing happen, I became aware that the government had done a whole lie on all the other benign drugs as well. It became clear to me that the government wanted no real drug education.

  Tommy Rettig

  Real, Lying, Government

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• The president feels not only do we need to change these rogue regimes, but even our friendly allies, who really basically have, sort of, benign dictatorships, need to get with the program if they want to have long-term security and prosperity from terrorism.

  Mitch McConnell

  Change, Long, Friendly

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• Fame is indeed beautiful and benign and gentle and satisfying, but happiness is something at once tender and brilliant beyond all things.

  Mary MacLane

  Beautiful, Brilliant, Fame

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• The Spy Act strikes a right balance between preserving legitimate and benign uses of this technology, while still, at the same time, protecting unwitting consumers from the harm caused when it is misused and, of course, designed for nefarious purposes.

  Cliff Stearns

  Technology, Balance, Spy

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• I don't know what the future holds. Anything is possible.

  Liz Phair

  Rum, Knows, Anything Is Possible

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• I've got two young kids. I don't know what the future holds.

  Robbie Coltraine

  Kids, Two, Young

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

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• A certain slightly cruel disregard for the feelings of living people is simply part of the package. I think a writer, if hes any good, is not an entirely benign entity in the world.

  Michael Cunningham

  Thinking, People, Feelings

  "Michael Cunningham: A life in writing" by Emma Brockes, www.theguardian.com. February 7, 2011.

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• I anticipate with pleasing expectations that retreat in which I promise myself to realize, without alloy, the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow citizens, the benign influence of good laws under a free government, the ever favorite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust, of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers.

  George Washington

  Sweet, Retirement, Freedom

  George Washington (1851). “The life of General Washington: first president of the United States”, p.337

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