Lin Yutang Quotes

Religion needs a baptism of horse sense.

Common sense is compelled to make its way without the enthusiasm of anyone.

A close friend of mine described me as a radical pragmatist. I embrace this no-nonsense distinction wholeheartedly. It is a character trait that matches the sense of myself I've had from as far back as I can remember. I am not one who goes in much for magical thinking. I don't believe in destiny, fate, or things like divine guidance, either.

Why is it that common sense is seldom common practice?

God save me from idealists.

The same principles which at first view lead to skepticism, pursued to a certain point, bring men back to common sense.

I am not an idiot, and I'm not a Pollyanna sort of kumbaya type.

Don't make me into this airy-fairy, moralist, idealist because I'm not.

Ground not upon dreams; you know they are ever contrary.

Common sense is calculation applied to life.

Europe, in legend, has always been the home of subtle philosophical discussion; America was the land of grubby pragmatism.

Show me a man with both feet on the ground and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants on.

By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.

To rely upon conviction, devotion, and other excellent spiritual qualities; that is not to be taken seriously in politics.

The logic of words should yield to the logic of realities.

You can't be idealistic in this world and not be crazy.

There is nothing more uncommon than common sense.

The wisest man preaches no doctrines.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

I guess I'm quite practical. Or at least like to think I am.

I'm not one of those people who gets starry-eyed.

I consider myself a realist.

I'm pragmatic.

It is my mission to put sensible and evidence-based information above politics and exaggeration.

The problem with Raven is that she's so smart, so sometimes it's hard for her to be hopeful or idealistic, because she's so realistic. So even if she's working on a solution, she's not proud of it until it's concrete.