Baltasar Gracian Quotes

The presentations and conceptions of the average man of the world are formed and dominated, not by the full and pure desire for knowledge as an end in itself, but by the struggle to adapt himself favourably to the conditions of life.

In our society those who are in reality superior in intelligence can be accepted by their fellows only if they pretend they are not.

Why does everyone have to pretend to be stupid and not know long words?

Good taste, the last and vilest of human superstitions, has succeeded in silencing us where all the rest have failed.

Whilst, alas, upon such times are we fallen that a learned man seems well-nigh a portent, and erudition in a woman is a thing utterly unknown.

When people are free to do as we please, they usually imitate each other.

As the eye becomes blinded by fashion to positive deformity, so, through social conventionalism, the conscience becomes blinded to positive immorality.

New customs, Though they be never so ridiculous (Nay, let em be unmanly), yet are followed.

As we acquire knowledge, things do not become more comprehensible, but more mysterious.

Violence represents the worst kind of conformism.

There is no sin so great as ignorance. Remember this.

Education: the path from cocky ignorance to miserable uncertainty.

Without knowledge there can be no sure progress. Vice and barbarism are the inseparable companions of ignorance. Nor is it too much to say that, except in rare instances, the highest virtue is attained only through intelligence.

He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

Must one dread what others dread?

On social media there's this thing where on many occasions, there's a single proscribed way of acting. Like if somebody dies, everyone has to say "R.I.P.! R.I.P.!" Basically they're saying, "Don't hurt me, I'm a good person."

Learning without wisdom is a load of books on a donkey's back.

All ignorance toboggans into know and trudges up to ignorance again.

Ignorance is death, knowledge is life. Life is of very little value, if it is a life in the dark, groping through ignorance and misery.

Those who do not know history are probably also not doing well in English or math. P.J. O'Rourke

Custom is the law of one description of fools, and fashion of another; but the two parties often clash--for precedent is the legislator of the first, and novelty of the last. Custom, therefore, looks to things that are past, and fashion to things that are present.

Where ignorance is not bliss, get wise!

Fashion is a great restraint upon your persons of taste and fancy; who would otherwise in the most trifling instances be able to distinguish themselves from the vulgar.

It's a library, only the stupid or the evil are afraid of those

One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education.