Simplicity Quotes - Page 31

• Code wants to be simple... I had to give up the idea that I had the perfect vision of the system to which the system had to conform. Instead, I had to accept that I was only the vehicle for the system expressing its own desire for simplicity. My vision could shape initial direction, and my attention to the desires of the code could affect how quickly and how well the system found its desired shape, but the system is riding me much more than I am riding the system.

  Kent Beck

  Giving Up, Simple, Ideas

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• All the world began with a yes. One molecule said yes to another molecule and life was born. But before prehistory there was the prehistory of the prehistory and there was the never and there was the yes. It was ever so. I don’t know why, but I do know that the universe never began.
  Make no mistake, I only achieve simplicity with enormous effort.

  Clarice Lispector

  Mistake, Effort, Molecules

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• Simplicity is the most difficult of all concepts.

  Brian Herbert

  Difficult, Concepts

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• One can furnish a room very luxuriously by taking out furniture rather than putting it in.

  Francis Jourdain

  Simple, Rooms, Tiny

  "The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life" by Leo Babauta, 2009.

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• For the most part, we, who could choose simplicity, choose complication.

  Anne Morrow Lindbergh

  Life, Clutter, Complication

  ANNE MORROW LINDBERGH (1967). “SELECTIONS FROM GIFT FROM THE SEA”

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• When you have cleared all of your clutter, you can be of greater service to those around you.

  Michael Kitson

  Clutter, Greater

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• Kindness, as we will see, has many facets. But its essence is as simple as can be. We will find that kindness is a way of making _less_ effort. It is the most economic attitude there is, because it saves us much energy that we might otherwise waste in suspicion, worry, resentment, manipulation, or unnecessary defense. It is an attitude that, by eliminating the inessential, brings us back to the simplicity of being.

  Piero Ferrucci

  Attitude, Kindness, Simple

  Piero Ferrucci (2007). “The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life”, p.26, Penguin

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• To me more dear, congenial to my heart, One native charm, than all the gloss of art.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Art, Charm, Gloss

  Oliver Goldsmith, Walter MACLEOD (of the Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea.) (1858). “Goldsmith's Deserted village, with remarks on the analysis of sentences, exercises in parsing, notes ... and a life of the poet ... By Walter M'Leod”, p.71

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• What a lot of things there are a man can do without.

  Socrates

  Men, Wealth, Can Do

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• In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life.

  Plato

  Order, Everyday, Vision

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• Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity - I mean the true simplicity of a rightly and nobly ordered mind and character, not that other simplicity which is only a euphemism for folly.

  Plato

  Plato, Character, Mean

  Plato (2013). “The Republic: A Socratic Dialogue Concerning the Definition of Justice and the Order and Character of the Just City-State and the Just Man (Beloved Books Edition)”, p.322, Lulu Press, Inc

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• The greatest wealth is to live content with little.

  Plato

  Being Happy, Plato, Greatest Wealth

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• Beware the barrenness of a busy life.

  Socrates

  Life, Time, Simple

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• It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.

  William of Ockham

  Peace, Creativity, Simple

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• Furious activity is no substitute for understanding.

  Henry Williams

  Learning, Science, Understanding

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• Controlling complexity is the essence of computer programming.

  Brian Kernighan

  Technology, Essence, Computer

  Brian W. Kernighan (1981). “Software Tools in Pascal”, Addison-Wesley Professional

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• The American Constitution is remarkable for its simplicity; but it can only suffice a people habitually correct in their actions, and would be utterly inadequate to the wants of a different nation. Change the domestic habits of the Americans, their religious devotion, and their high respect for morality, and it will not be necessary to change a single letter in the Constitution in order to vary the whole form of their government.

  Francis Grund

  Religious, Order, Government

  Francis Grund (2007). “Americans”, p.307, Applewood Books

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• If you endeavor to embrace the Way through much learning, the Way will not be understood. If you observe the Way with simplicity of heart, great indeed is this Way.

  Gautama Buddha

  Heart, Meditation, Way

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• Human nature has a tendency to admire complexity but reward simplicity.

  Ben Huh

  Business, Marketing, Rewards

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• The intention of this way of life [voluntary simplicity] is not to dogmatically live with less. It's a more demanding intention of living with balance. This is a middle way that moves between the extremes of poverty and indulgence.

  Duane Elgin

  Inspiring, Moving, Balance

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• Plurality should not be assumed without necessity.

  William of Ockham

  Simple, Less Is More, Chaos

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• The ordinary people will consider it lack of simplicity to harmonize all the changes throughout ten thousand years. With a tired body and a frightened mind, they toil to avoid this and to take that. The sage alone has no prejudice. He therefore proceeds with utter simplicity and becomes one with transformation and always roams in the realm of unity.

  Guo Xiang

  Change, Tired, Years

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• Simplicity, very rare in our age.

  Ovid

  Stupidity, Age

  Ovid (2015). “The Offense of Love: Ars Amatoria, Remedia Amoris, and Tristia 2”, p.64, University of Wisconsin Pres

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• When you can make it this simple, though, just do the right thing. Even if you could get away with less. Even when other people are doing the wrong thing. Even though the wrong thing seems like no big deal.

  Price Pritchett

  Simple, People, Justice

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• Whatever we are, whatever we make of ourselves, is all we will ever have - and that, in its profound simplicity, is the meaning of life.

  Philip Appleman

  Atheist, Profound, Meaning Of Life

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