Flannery O'Connor Quotes

I think that being perceptive and having interests is nothing but an asset.

That ability to take in your surroundings and sort out the important stuff, to be aware, to be vigilant. Then take all that information, put it together, and see if it makes sense to you.

Of the modern critics, although I disagree with almost everything she says, I admire Mary McCarthy's eloquence and social observation in 'Sights and Spectacles'; she thinks in print, but she doesn't have a real feel for the stage.

Women on the whole are often not as shallow as men are. They can be, but they cut through things a little more easily than men do in terms of that superficial stuff.

The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt. Even those of the intelligent who believe that they have a nostrum are too individualistic to combine with other intelligent men from whom they differ on minor points.

The forming of general maxims from particular observation is a very nice operation; and nothing is more usual, from haste or a narrowness of mind, which sees not on all sides, than to commit mistakes in this particular.

Question is, are you bozos smart enough to feel stupid?

I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am.

The eyes of the social herd, who always observe little things, and generally form from them their opinions of great affairs.

When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent.

Mr. Thornton felt that in this influx no one was speaking to Margaret, and was restless under this apparent neglect. But he never went near her himself; he did not look at her. Only, he knew what she was doing — or not doing — better than anyone else in the room. Margaret was so unconscious of herself, and so much amused by watching other people, that she never thought whether she was left unnoticed or not.

There's one thing that always interests me about you good people, not your certainty that the rest of us are swine, - no doubt we are, - but your certainty that your opinions are pearls.

Readiness to answer all questions is the infallible sign of stupidity.

When a man puts me a question, I judge of his intelligence.

Don't cater to stupidity.

Just then, with a wink and a sly normal lurch, The owl very gravely got down from his perch, Walked round, and regarded his fault-finding critic (Who thought he was stuffed) with a glance analytic.

Out of every hundred people, those who always know better: fifty-two.

It's a defining difference, curiosity. I've never known a stupid person who was curious, or a curious person who was stupid.

One of my missions is to get people to go, "Oh, she's really nice and I really like her, but what were the words she just said?!" I want your instincts to be at odds with your mind.

RATIONAL, adj. Devoid of all delusions save those of observation, experience and reflection.

I learned to observe other people - that’s sort of what it teaches you. To pay attention. Which can also be a really natural human skill so I don’t think I’m better equipped than other human beings.

In order to be able to write well upon a subject, one must have ceased to be interested in it; the thought which is to be soberlyexpressed must already be entirely past and no longer be one's actual concern.

Correct observation followed by meticulous deduction and the precise visualization of goals is vital to the success of any enterprise.

The best test of whether someone is extremely stupid (or extremely wise) is whether financial and political news makes sense to him.

I read at least one periodical every month by a political group I dislike - to keep some sense of balance. The overwhelming stupidity of political movements is caused by the fact that political types never read anything but their own gang's agit-prop.