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Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson Quotes

36th U.S. President

Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, served from 1963 to 1969. He assumed the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy and is known for his 'Great Society' programs aimed at reducing poverty and racial injustice.

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Famous Lyndon B. Johnson Quotes

“In this age when there can be no losers in peace and no victors in war; we must recognize the obligation to match national strength with national restraint.”

Life War Age Peace Harmony Obligation Loser Restraint

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“It is a truism that education is no longer a luxury. Education in this day and age is a necessity.”

Age Money Education Luxury This Day Truism

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“The Roman Empire controlled the world because it could build roads . . . the British Empire was dominant because it had ships. In the air age we were powerful because we had airplaines. Now the Communists have established a foothold in outer space.”

World Age Space Powerful Air Future British Ships Empires Controlled Communist Dominant Predictions Roman Empire Outer Space British Empire

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“I believe that the essence of government lies with unceasing concern for the welfare and dignity and decency and innate integrity of life for every individual. I dont like to say this and wish I didnt have to add these words to make it clear but I willregardless of color, creed, ancestry, sex or age.”

Believe Government Age Lying Individual I Believe Wish Sex Clear Color Integrity Concern Dignity Essence Add Welfare Creeds Innate Decency Ancestry Government Lies

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Every citizen will be able, in his productive years when he is earning, to insure himself against the ravages of illness in his old age.”

Years Age Able Citizens Illness Old Age Productive Earning

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

“We have entered an age in which education is not just a luxury permitting some men an advantage over others. It has become a necessity without which a person is defenseless in this complex, industrialized society. We have truly entered the century of the educated man.”

Men Persons Age Century Advantage Aging Complexes Educated Luxury Birthday 50th Birthday Defenseless Educated Man

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“...in the decline of life shame and grief are of short duration; whether it be that we bear easily what we have borne long; or that, finding ourselves in age less regarded, we less regard others; or, that we look with slight regard upon afflictions to which we know that the hand of death is about to put an end.”

Knows Looks Long Ends Hands Age Grief Bears Findings Regard Shame Decline Affliction Duration

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Nothing is more despicable than the old age of a passionate man. When the vigour of youth fails him, and his amusements pall with frequent repetition, his occasional rage sinks by decay of strength into peevishness; that peevishness, for want of novelty and variety, becomes habitual; the world falls off from around him, and he is left, as Homer expresses it, to devour his own heart in solitude and contempt.”

Men World Want Heart Age Fall Left Failing Youth Solitude Passionate Rage Old Age Variety Contempt Decay Repetition Amusement Novelty Occasional Habitual Despicable

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“If the purpose of lamentation be to excite pity, it is surely superfluous for age and weakness to tell their plaintive stories; for pity presupposes sympathy, and a little attention will show them, that those who do not feel pain seldom think that it is felt.”

Ifs Thinking Feels Littles Stories Shows Age Pain Purpose Felt Attention Weakness Pity Superfluous Lamentation

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Every old man complains of the growing depravity of the world, of the petulance and insolence of the rising generation. He recounts the decency and regularity of former times, and celebrates the discipline and sobriety of the age in which his youth was passed; a happy age which is now no more to be expected, since confusion has broken in upon the world, and thrown down all the boundaries of civility and reverence.”

“...that though they may refuse to grow wise, they must inevitably grow old; ...that the proper solaces of age are not music and compliments, but wisdom and devotion; that those who are so unwilling to quit the world will soon be driven from it; and that it is therefore in their interest to retire while there yet remain a few hours of nobler employments.”

World May Age Grows Interest Hours Wise Refuse Driven Quitting Devotion Employment Compliment Retiring Unwilling Solace

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“The prospect of penury in age is so gloomy and terrifying that every man who looks before him must resolve to avoid it; and it must be avoided generally by the science of sparing. For, though in every age there are some who, by bold adventures, or by favorable accidents, rise suddenly to riches, yet it is dangerous to indulge hopes of such rare events; and the bulk of mankind must owe their affluence to small and gradual profits, below which their expense must be resolutely reduced.”

Men Looks Age Mankind Dangerous Events Adventure Profit Accidents Riches Every Man Resolve Expenses Indulge Avoided Gloomy Affluence Rare Events

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“So far are we generally from thinking what we often say of the shortness of life, that at the time when it is necessarily shortest we form projects which we delay to execute, indulge such expectations as nothing but along train of events can gratify, and suffer those passions to gain upon us which are only excusable in the prime of life.”

Thinking Age Form Suffering Passion Events Projects Expectations Gains Train Prime Delay Indulge Shortness Shortness Of Life Prime Of Life

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“I am afraid, ... that health begins, after seventy, and often long before, to have a meaning different from that which it had at thirty. But it is culpable to murmur at the established order of the creation, as it is vain to oppose it. He that lives, must grow old; and he that would rather grow old than die, has God to thank for the infirmities of old age.”

Long Different Age Order Dies Grows Creation Old Age Vain Thirty Seventies Infirmity

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Every funeral may justly be considered as a summons to prepare for that state into which it shows us that we must some time enter; and the summons is more loud and piercing as the event of which it warns us is at less distance. To neglect at any time preparation for death is to sleep on our post at a siege; but to omit it in old age is to sleep at an attack.”

May States Shows Age Sleep Events Distance Old Age Preparation Posts Loud Neglect Funeral Piercings Siege Preparation For Death

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“A perpetual conflict with natural desires seems to be the lot of our present state. In youth we require something of the tardiness and frigidity of age; and in age we must labour to recall the fire and impetuosity of youth; in youth we must learn to respect, and in age to enjoy.”

States Seems Age Desire Enjoy Natural Fire Youth Conflict Labour Perpetual Recalls Frigidity Tardiness

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“It is not uncommon for those who at their first entrance into the world were distinguished for attainments or abilities, to disappoint the hopes which they had raised, and to end in neglect and obscurity that life which they began in honour. To the long catalogue of the inconveniences of old age, which moral and satirical writers have so copiously displayed, may be often added the loss of fame.”

World Firsts May Long Ends Age Loss Ability Moral Fame Raised Old Age Neglect Honour Distinguished Attainment Obscurity Disappoint Entrances Uncommon Inconvenience Satirical Catalogues

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Such is the condition of life that something is always wanting to happiness. In youth we have warm hopes, which are soon blasted by rashness and negligence, and great designs which are defeated by inexperience. In age, we have knowledge and prudence, without spirit to exert, or motives to prompt them; we are able to plan schemes, and regulate measures, but have not time remaining to bring them to completion.”

Age Able Spirit Plans Conditions Design Youth Warm Motive Schemes Defeated Prudence Completion Prompts Negligence Inexperience Rashness Great Design

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“A few years make such havoc in human generations that we soon see ourselves deprived of those with whom we entered the world, and whom the participation of pleasures or fatigues had endeared to our remembrance.”

World Years Humans Age Pleasure Generations Remembrance Participation Deprived Fatigue Havoc

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“He that in the latter part of his life too strictly inquires what he has done, can very seldom receive from his own heart such an account as will give him satisfaction.”

Giving Heart Done Age Accounts Satisfaction Latter

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“We need to remember that the separation of church and state must never mean the separation of religious values from the lives of public servants. . . If we who serve free men today are to differ from the tyrants of this age, we must balance the powers in our hands with God in our hearts.”