Robertson Davies Quotes

Stupidity often saves a man from going mad.

Is it so far from madness to wisdom?" - Daenerys Targaryen

Our intellect, our awareness, and our consciousness is the most powerful form of life on this planet. It's totally worthwhile. If our animal instincts stopped, we would die. We don't think about it, but if your consciousness were responsible for all of your bodily functions, you would die.

After I was assaulted in Egypt, I learned fear. I've just never been so scared in my life. I've never been so close to death.

Thinking clearly and effectively is the greatest asset of any human being.

There's a big difference between sanity and insanity.

I never dared be radical when young for fear it would make me conservative when old.

Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong

Fools are not mad folks.

If you live with unhealthy people, to be healthy is dangerous. If you live with insane people, then to be sane is dangerous. If you live in a madhouse, even if you are not mad at least pretend that you are mad; otherwise those mad people will kill you.

Who then is sane? He who is not a fool.

In an insane world, sanity made very little sense.

The world is so full of simpletons and madmen, that one need not seek them in a madhouse.

I shall ask for brains instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a heart if he had one.

I didn't think there was any way to convince Jack that he wanted more than I had to give, that to people who'd been damaged the way I had been, fear and the will to survive would always be more powerful than attachment. I could only love in a limited way

A man who will not get scared on some occasions, lacks good sense.

In a crazy world, it's only your insanity that will keep you sane

Knowledge is silver. Outlook is gold. IQ is a lead weight.

Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence.

Because of fear, they made shelter and found food and grew things. For the same reason, weapons were stored, waiting.

You show you care, you die.You show you fear, you die.You show nothing, maybe you live.

There are worse things than being mad.

Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad, but chess players do.

So wie die Verruecktheit in einem hoeheren Sinn, der Anfang aller Weisheit ist, so ist die Schizophrenie der Anfang aller Kunst, aller Phantasie. (As insanity in a higher sense, is the beginning of all wisdom, so is schizophrenia the beginning of all art, all fantasy.)

Let us consider that we are all insane. It will explain us to each other. It will unriddle many riddles