Home / Topics / Expression Quotes

Expression Quotes

Browse 4249 quotes about Expression.

Expression Quotes

“Mankind ought to be taught that religions are but the varied expressions of THE RELIGION, which is Oneness, so that each may choose the path that suits him best.”

May Religion Path Mankind Taught Expression Ought Suits Oneness

Book:The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

Source: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

“Magical realism allows an artist like myself to inject layers of meaning without being obvious. In American culture, where there is freedom of expression, this approach may seem forced, unnecessary and misunderstood. But this system of communication has become very Iranian.”

May Seems Artist Culture Expression Communication Approach Obvious Layers Realism Unnecessary Misunderstood American Culture Magical Realism Freedom Of Expression Iranian Magic Realism

Author:Shirin Neshat

“To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed through words, so to convey this so that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art.”

May Mean Art Feelings Form Sound Lines Movement Color Expression Activity Oneself Evoke

Author:Leo Tolstoy

“Conversation, which is friendship's mode of expression, is a superficial digression which gives us nothing worth acquiring. We may talk for a lifetime without doing more than indefinitely repeat the vacuity of a minute.”

Giving May Minutes Expression Conversation Lifetime Repeats Superficial Vacuity

Book:In Search of Lost Time, Volume II: Within a Budding Grove (A Modern Library E-Book)

Source: In Search of Lost Time, Volume II: Within a Budding Grove (A Modern Library E-Book)

“The dynamo of our economic system is self-interest which may range from mere petty greed to admirable types of self-expression.”

May Self Interest Economic Expression Type Capitalism Mere Greed Range Petty Self Interest Admirable Self Expression Economic Systems

Author:Felix Frankfurter

“The paradox of the culture wars is that they have made celebrities out of some artists who would otherwise vanish. Censorship has become a growth industry. This may be the best argument, in the end, for unfettered freedom of expression.”

May Made War Ends Artist Culture Growth Freedom Expression Industry Argument Being The Best Paradox Censorship Freedom Of Expression

Author:Michael Kimmelman

“Everyone wants rather to be pleasing to women and that desire is not altogether, though it is very largely, a manifestation of vanity. But one cannot aim to be pleasing to women any more than one can aim to have taste, or beauty of expression, or happiness; for these things are not specific aims which one may learn to attain; they are descriptions of the adequacy of one's living. To try to be happy is to try to build a machine with no other specification than that it shall run noiselessly.”

Want Trying May Running Desire Expression Taste Machines Aim Vanity Manifestation Description Specifications Adequacy Trying To Be Happy

Author:J. Robert Oppenheimer

“There is, moreover, very little sense in preventing young people from giving expression to their ideas on the pretext that they have less experience than have older persons. There are many who may live a thousand years without encountering experience of any value. It could only be in a society of persons equally gifted that such an idea could have any meaning.”

People Giving Years May Littles Persons Ideas Young Values Expression Thousand Thousand Years Gifted Preventing Pretext

Book:Sex & Character

Source: Sex & Character

“No one can build his security upon the nobleness of another person. Two people, when they love each other, grow alike in their tastes and habits and pride, but their moral natures (whatever we may mean by that canting expression) are never welded. The base one goes on being base, and the noble one noble, to the end.”

People May Mean Persons Two Ends Grows Moral Security Expression Pride Goes On Habit Taste Noble Love Each Other

Book:The Best of Willa Cather

Source: The Best of Willa Cather

“Facilitative attitudes (and skills) can help a therapist gain entry into the group Freedom from a desire to control the outcome, and respect for the capacity of the group, and skills in releasing individual expression Openness to all attitudes no matter how extreme or unrealistic they may seem Acceptance of the problems experienced by the group where they are clearly defined as issues Allowance of the freedom of choices in direction, either for the group or individuals particularly in the near future”

“When a man makes a poem, makes it, mind you, he takes words as he finds them interrelated about him and composes them - without distortion which would mar their exact significances - into an intense expression of his perceptions and ardors that they may constitute a revelation in the speech that he uses. It isn't what he says that counts as a work of art, it's what he makes, with such intensity of perception that it lives with an intrinsic movement of its own to verify its authenticity.”

Source: The Collected Poems of William Carlos Williams: 1939-1962

“Being points beyond itself. Accustomed to think in terms of space, the expression "being points beyond itself" may be taken to denote a higher point in space. What is meant, however, is a higher category than being: the power of maintaining being.”

Thinking May Term Space Taken Expression Higher Categories Accustomed Maintaining

Author:Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Everyone has doors in the living room of their lives that they assume are locked. Doors that lead to artistic expression. People say "I have no talent -- I can't dance or sing or paint or write poetry or play an instrument." More often than not the doors are not locked, just closed. One may turn the handle, open the door and pass through into a larger life space.”

People Writing May Art I Can Play Turns Space Rooms Doors Talent Expression Instruments Assuming Paint Handle Artistic Locked Living Room Artistic Expression Locked Doors

Author:Robert Fulghum

“He [the artist] ought to have 'these powerful organs of expression' - colour and chiaroscuro - entirely at his command, that he may use them in every possible form, as well as that he may do with the most perfect freedom; therefore, whether he wishes to make the subject of a joyous, solemn, or meditative character, by flinging over it the cheerful aspect which the sun bestows, by a proper disposition of shade, or by the appearances that beautify its arising or its setting, a true "General Effect" should never be lost sight of.”

“As for comics, one has only to turn to the characteristic output of Marvel Comics, for the period from about 1961 to about 1975, to find not an expression of base and cynical impulses but of good, old-fashioned liberal humanism of a kind that may strike us today, God help us, as quaint, but which nevertheless appealed, in story after story, to ideals such as tolerance, technological optimism, and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.”

“In the national debate about a serious issue, it is the expression of the minority's viewpoint that most demands the protection of the First Amendment. Whatever the better policy may be, a full and frank discussion of the costs and benefits of the attempt to prohibit the use of marijuana is far wiser than suppression of speech because it is unpopular.”

“[T]he individual in whom the will for the light is strong and clear finds his heart inextricably bound up with the struggle of the forces of light in his native place and time. Much as he may long for the opportunity of fuller self- expression in a happier world, he knows that for him self-expression is impossible save in the world in which his mind is rooted. The individual in whom the will for the light is weak soon persuades himself that his opportunity lies elsewhere.”

Source: Darkness and the light

“The luxury of ostentation affords a much less substantial and solid gratification, than the luxury of comfort, if I may be allowed the expression.”

Ifs May Expression Comfort Luxury Gratification Ostentation

Book:A treatise on political economy, or, the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth

Source: A treatise on political economy, or, the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth

“Puritanism, in whatever expression, is a poisonous germ. On the surface everything may look strong and vigorous; yet the poison works its way persistently, until the entire fabric is doomed.”

Way Looks May Strong Expression Surface Poison Fabric Doomed Vigorous Germs Poisonous Puritanism

Book:Anarchism and Other Essays

Source: Anarchism and Other Essays

“Every age manifests itself by some external evidence. In a period such as ours when only a comparatively few individuals seem to be given to religion, some form other than the Gothic cathedral must be found. Industry concerns the greatest numbers-it may be true, as has been said, that our factories are our substitute for religious expression.”

May Has Beens Said Seems Age Form Found Individual Given Religious Numbers Expression Industry Periods Evidence Concern Being True Substitutes Factories Gothic Cathedrals

Book:Charles Sheeler: across media

Source: Charles Sheeler: across media

“No good poem, however confessional it may be, is just a self-expression. Who on earth would claim that the pearl expresses the oyster?”

May Art Self Philosophy Earth History Expression Claims Pearls Self Expression Oysters

Author:C. S. Lewis

“Your freedom as a writer is not freedom of expression in the sense of wild blurting; you may not let rip. It is life at its most free, if you are fortunate enough to be able to try it, because you select your materials, invent your task, and pace yourself.”

Ifs Trying May Enough Able Expression Materials Tasks Fortunate Pace Rip Select Freedom Of Expression Your Freedom Pace Yourself

Book:The Writing Life

Source: The Writing Life

“A composition which dazzles at first sight by gaudy epithets, or brilliant turns or expression, or glittering trains of imagery, may fade gradually from the mind, leaving no enduring impression; but words which flow fresh and warm from a full heart, and which are instinct with the life and breath of human feeling, pass into household memories, and partake of the immortality of the affections from which they spring.”

Source: Essays and Reviews

“jewels have played a colorful part in the evolution of world affairs. Because precious stones tend to inspire both admiration and greed, leaders have found convenient excuses for seeking them and have used them to impress crowds, reward friends, deprive foes, forge alliances, and justify war. Jewels may find their highest expression in the decorative arts, but they have also earned a place in the art of the possible.”

“the fundamental right of freedom of thought and expression is essential. If you curtail what the other fellow says and does, you curtail what you yourself may say and do.”

Ifs May Doe Rights Expression Essentials Fellows Fundamentals Freedom Of Thought

Book:Courage in a Dangerous World: The Political Writings of Eleanor Roosevelt

Source: Courage in a Dangerous World: The Political Writings of Eleanor Roosevelt

“We lose in depth of expression when we go to inferior animals for comparisons with human beauty. Homer calls Juno ox-eyed; and the epithet suits well with the eyes of that goddess, because she may be supposed, with all her beauty, to want a certain humanity. Her large eyes look at you with a royal indifference.”

Source: Men, Women, and Books: A Selection of Sketches, Essays, and Critical Memoirs, from His Uncollected Prose Writings

“We often say, and you have heard the expression as it has already been referred to in this conference, that "as man now is, God once was, and as God now is, man may become." The only way man may become as God now is, is through fulfilling the laws of celestial marriage and the laws of the gospel, as I have just read to you the word of the Lord from the D&C. Can we afford to overlook such opportunities for exaltation? Temple marriage is not just another form of church wedding; it is a divine covenant with the Lord that if we are faithful to the end, we may become as God now is.”

Ifs Men Way May Ends Form Law Opportunity Church Lord Heard Divine Expression Faithful Temples Fulfilling Conferences Covenant Celestial Exaltation Temple Marriage

Author:Eldred G. Smith

“To chart a course, one must have a direction. In reality, the eye is no better than the philosophy behind it. The photographer creates, evolves a better, more selective, more acute eye by looking ever more sharply at what is going on in the world. Like every other means of expression, photography, if it is to be utterly honest and direct, should be related to the life of the times-the pulse of today. The photograph may be presented as finely and artistically as you will, but to merit serious consideration, must be directly connected with the world we live in.”

“It may be said that it is with our thoughts as with our flowers. Those whose expression is simple carry their seed with them; those that are double by their richness and pomp charm the mind, but produce nothing.”

Mind May Said Simple Produce Expression Flower Seeds Charm Our Thoughts Richness

Author:Joseph Joubert

“Whatever may be the temporary applause of men, or the expressions of public opinion, it may be asserted without fear of contradiction, that no true and permanent fame can be founded, except in labors which promote the happiness of mankind.”

Men May Opinion Mankind Expression Fame Labor Permanent Contradiction Temporary Public Opinion Applause

Book:Orations and Speeches [1845-1850]

Source: Orations and Speeches [1845-1850]

“An artist requires the upkeep of creative solitude. An artist requires the healing of time alone. Without this period of recharging, our artist becomes depleted. Until we experience the freedom of solitude, we cannot connect authentically. We may be enmeshed, but we are not encountered. Art lies in the moment of encounter. We meet our truth and we meet ourselves and we meet our self-expression.”

May Art Self Moments Lying Artist Healing Creative Expression Periods Solitude Encounters Me Alone Self Expression Alone Time Upkeep Recharging

Author:Julia Cameron

“Although music appeals simply to the emotions, and represents no definite images in itself, we are justified in using any language which may serve to convey to others our musical expressions. Words will often pave the way for the more subtle operations of music, and unlock the treasures which sound alone can rifle, and hence the eternal popularity of song.”

Way May Song Language Sound Emotion Expression Eternal Musical Treasure Appeals Operations Subtle Popularity Definite Justified Rifles Musical Expression

Book:Music and morals

Source: Music and morals

“Of all ennobling sentiments, patriotism may be the most easily manipulated. On the one hand, it gives powerful expression to what is best in a nation's character: a commitment to principle, a willingness to sacrifice, a devotion to the community by the choice of the individual. But among its toxic fruits are intolerance, belligerence and blind obedience, perhaps because it blooms most luxuriantly during times of war.”

“... the precedents for feminine self-expression run back through all the ages since the art of writing was invented. ... The era may witness the first female engineer, motor truck chauffeur, radio broadcaster, head of an aviation school, or federal prohibition officer, but it has not produced the first thinking, creative, and writing woman by any means.”

Source: Making Women's History: The Essential Mary Ritter Beard

“True delicacy, as true generosity, is more wounded by an offence from itself--if I may be allowed the expression--than to itself.”

Ifs May Expression Generosity Wounded Refinement Offence Delicacy True Generosity

Author:Sir Fulke Greville

“Anger is generally seen as an unwelcome presence in our midst, however natural it may be. Although each person, and each society, is charged with how anger is to be appropriately channeled, the denial of anger, or its continuous repression, is a deep source of our psychopathology and will invariably seek its expression in a less healthful fashion.”

May Persons Natural Fashion Expression Source Anger Denial Midst Repression Psychopathology Unwelcome

Book:Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves

Source: Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves

“Theres a lot of speculation on what the zombie apocalypse thing means. I have a feeling that its kind of an expression of our subconscious fears. I think we know that something big and impossible - some enormous crash, equalizing crash, whatever - may be coming around the corner.”

Thinking Knows Kind May Mean Feelings Bigs Impossible Expression Corners Enormous Crash Subconscious Apocalypse Speculation Zombie Around The Corner Zombie Apocalypse

Author:Mark Pellegrino

“We may say, in a broad way, that Greek philosophy down to Aristotle expresses the mentality appropriate to the City State; that Stoicism is appropriate to a cosmopolitan despotism; that stochastic philosophy is an intellectual expression of the Church as an organization; that philosophy since Descartes, or at any rate since Locke, tends to embody the prejudices of the commercial middle class; and that Marxism and Fascism are the philosophies appropriate to the modern industrial state.”

“Notwithstanding his very liberal laudation of himself, however, the Major was selfish. It may be doubted whether there ever was a more entirely selfish person at heart; or at stomach is perhaps a better expression, seeing that he was more decidedly endowed with that latter organ than with the former.”

Heart May Persons Character Interesting Seeing Expression Majors Selfish Former Latter Stomach Organs Doubted Interesting Characters Selfish Person

Book:Charles Dickens's works. Charles Dickens ed. [18 vols. of a 21 vol. set. Wanting A child's history of England; Christmas stories; The mystery of Edwin Drood].

Source: Charles Dickens's works. Charles Dickens ed. [18 vols. of a 21 vol. set. Wanting A child's history of England; Christmas stories; The mystery of Edwin Drood].

“Poetic language features an iconic rather than a predominantly conventional relationship of form and content in which all language (and cultural) elements, variant as well as invariant, may be involved in the expression of the content.", "Analysis of the Poetic Text.”

Wells May Art Form Poetry Language Expression Involved Elements Features Analysis Poetic Conventional Iconic

Author:Yuri Lotman

“Logic, like language, is partly a free construction and partly a means of symbolizing and harnessing in expression the existing diversities of things; and whilst some languages, given a man's constitution and habits, may seem more beautiful and convenient to him than others, it is a foolish heat in a patriot to insist that only his native language is intelligible or right.”

Men May Mean Seems Beautiful Language Given Expression Habit Diversity Logic Constitution Foolish Heat Native Construction Patriot Convenient Native Language

Author:George Santayana

“One way to think about play, is as the process of finding new combinations for known things--combinations that may yield new formsof expression, new inventions, new discoveries, and new solutions....It's exactly what children's play seems to be about and explains why so many people have come to think that children's play is so important a part of childhood--and beyond.”

People Thinking Way May Children Important Play Seems Process Known Childhood Expression Findings Solutions Discovery Invention One Way Combination Yield New Discoveries New Inventions

Author:Fred Rogers

“Style is, above all, a system of forms with a quality and a meaningful expression through which the personality of the artist andthe broad outlook of a group are visible,... communicating and fixing certain values of religious, social, and moral life through the emotional suggestiveness of forms. It is, besides, a common ground against which innovations and individuality of particular works may be measured.”

Source: Theory and Philosophy of Art: Style, Artist, and Society

“All your desires, whatever they may be, are expressions of your longing for happiness. Basically, you wish yourself well.”

Wells May Desire Wish Expression Longing

Author:Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

“We cannot leave the expression of our lives to those better qualified than we are, however dear they may be.”

May Our Lives Expression Dear Qualified

Book:Lazarre

Source: Lazarre

“The family consists of those who live under the same roof with the pater familias ; those who form (if I may use the expression) his fire-side.”

Ifs May Use Form Sides Fire Expression Roof Familia

Author:Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Though beauty is, with the most apt similitude, I had almost said with the most literal truth, called a flower that fades and dies almost in the very moment of its maturity; yet there is, methinks, a kind of beauty which lives even to old age; a beauty that is not in the features, but, if I may be allowed the expression, shines through them. As it is not merely corporeal it is not the object of mere sense, nor is it to be discovered but by persons of true taste and refined sentiment.”

Ifs Kind May Persons Said Moments Age Dies Beauty Objects Expression Flower Taste Shining Mere Old Age Features Maturity Sentiments Fades Literal Refined

Author:Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke

“I have endeavoured to show that no absolute structural line of demarcation, wider than that between the animals which immediately succeed us in the scale, can be drawn between the animal world and ourselves; and I may add the expression of my belief that the attempt to draw a physical distinction is equally futile, and that even the highest faculties of feeling and of intellect begin to germinate in lower forms of life.”

World May Shows Feelings Form Belief Lines Animal Expression Succeed Highest Draws Absolutes Add Intellect Scales Distinction Faculty Animal World

Author:Thomas Huxley

“If you wish to collect complimentary material for a record of yourself, never appeal to your relations. They may be proud of you as an asset to the family name, but they have a gift for remembering your gawky period privately, the follies and faults you committed and have forgotten. You may have come up in the world with a laurel on your brow, but if you go back home forty years later wearing two laurels on your brow, and a noble expression, they will miss the point.”

“Creative expression requires an ability to work with feelings and channel them. Frustration, dissatisfaction, and even a sense of desperation may help you access an eloquence you never knew existed.”

May Helping Feelings Ability Creativity Creative Expression Access Frustration Desperation Eloquence Dissatisfaction Creative Expression

Book:Trust the Process

Source: Trust the Process