“REFUSAL, n. Denial of something desired; Refusals are graded in a descending scale of finality thus: the refusal absolute, the refusal condition, the refusal tentative and the refusal feminine. The last is called by some casuists the refusal assentive.” LastsDesireConditionsAbsolutesScalesDenialFeminineRefusalDescendingFinality Book:Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated) Source: Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)
“Proselytizing is more a passionate search for something not yet found than a desire to bestow upon the world something we already have. It is a search for a final and irrefutable demonstration that our absolute truth is indeed the one and only truth. The proselytizing fanatic strengthens his own faith by converting others.” WorldDesireFoundSocietyTruth IsAbsolutesFinalsPassionateDemonstrationFanaticsAbsolute TruthConvertingTrue BelieverProselytizing Author:Eric Hoffer
“Independence may be found in comparative as well as in absolute abundance; I mean where a person contracts his desires within the limits of his fortune.” WellsMayMeanPersonsDesireFoundLimitsAbsolutesIndependenceFortuneAbundanceContracts Author:William Shenstone
“We have lost contact with man's natural desire for the exalted, for a concern with our relation to absolute emotions.” MenDesireLostNaturalEmotionConcernRelationAbsolutesContactExalted Author:Barnett Newman
“It's only with that absolute humility and purity that you can make friends with God; because, otherwise, you're just too busy with all your desires.” GodDesireHumilityAbsolutesBusyPurityToo Busy Author:Frederick Lenz
“A wise parent humors the desire for independent action, so as to become the friend and advisor when his absolute rule shall cease.” LoveActionDesireParentWiseAbsolutesIndependentMotherhoodCeaseParenthoodAdvisorsWise Parents Author:Elizabeth Gaskell
“Reason cannot desire for man any condition other than that in which not only every individual enjoys the most absolute, unbounded freedom to develop himself out of himself, in true individuality, but in which physical nature, as well, need receive no other shaping by human hands than that which is given to her voluntarily by each individual, according to the measure of his wants and his inclinations, restricted only by the limits of his energy and his rights.” MenWantNeedsHumansWellsReasonHandsDesireIndividualEnergyGivenEnjoyRightsConditionsLimitsAbsolutesIndividualityInclinationHuman Hands Author:Wilhelm von Humboldt
“I would have nobody to control me; I would be absolute: and who but I? Now, he that is absolute can do what he likes; he that can do what he likes can take his pleasure; he that can take his pleasure can be content; and he that can be content has no more to desire. So the matter 's over; and come what will come, I am satisfied.” MatterWould BeDesireCan DoPleasureAbsolutesLikesSatisfied Author:Miguel de Cervantes
“(Because) the notion of absolute truth is difficult to sustain outside the context of religion, ethical conduct is not something we engage in because it is somehow right in itself but because, like ourselves, all others desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. Given that this is a natural disposition, shared by all, it follows that each individual has a right to pursue this goal. Accordingly, I suggest that one of the things which determines whether an act is ethical or not is its effect on others' experience or expectation of happiness.” DesireSufferingIndividualGivenDifficultGoalNaturalEffectsTruth IsExpectationsEthicsAbsolutesNotionDeterminePursueEthicalDispositionAbsolute Truth Author:Dalai Lama
“Sometimes we desire absolute nonsense because in our stupidity we see in this nonsense the easiest way of attaining some conjectural good.” WaySometimesDesireAbsolutesStupidityNonsense Book:The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky Source: The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Being wealthy isn't just a question of having lots of money. It's a question of what we want. Wealth isn't an absolute, it's relative to desire. Every time we seek something that we can't afford, we can be counted as poor, how much money we may actually have.” WantMayDesireWealthPoorAbsolutesWealthyRelativeLots Of Money Author:Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“Turn yourself inside out. Live with absolute certainty that you have the power to create anything that you desire-anything!-because the power you need is the power of the Universe flowing through you.” NeedsDesireTurnsUniverseAbsolutesCertaintyAbsolute Certainty Author:Sonia