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Quote by Alain de Botton

“The fear of saying something stupid (which stupid people never have) has censored far more good ideas than bad ones.”

Quote by Alain de Botton

Author

Alain de Botton

Alain de Botton is a Swiss writer and philosopher known for his books on philosophy, art, and culture. His work is characterized by its accessible exploration of profound themes, which has won him a wide audience. more

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“We should keep a careful diary of our moments of envy: they are our covert guides to what we should try to do next.”

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“Unnatural to expect that learning to be happy should be any easier than, say, learning to play the violin or require any less practice.”

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“The media insists on taking what someone didn't mean to say as being far closer to the truth than what they did.”

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“Gaffe-focused journalism: revenge of intelligent people who know true evils are out there but lack the access/time to get to them.”

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“Art holds out the promise of inner wholeness.”

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“Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.”

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“We are sad at home and blame the weather and the ugliness of the buildings, but on the tropical island we learn that the state of the skies and the appearance of our dwellings can never on their own underwrite our joy nor condemn us to misery.”

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“We are presented with an unpleasant choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of consoling, subtle or just charming rituals for which we struggle to find equivalents in secular society.”

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“Sublime places repeat in grand terms a lesson that ordinary life typically teaches viciously: that the universe is mightier than we are, that we are frail and temporary and have no alternative but to accept limitations on our will; that we must bow to necessities greater than ourselves.”

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“Objectively good spaces to work rarely end up being so; in their faultlessness, quiet and well-equipped studios have a habit of rendering the fear of failure overwhelming. Original thoughts are like shy animals. We sometimes have to look the other way - towards a busy street or terminal - before they run out of their burrows.”

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