“Of our political revolution of '76, we all are justly proud. It has given us a degree of political freedom, far exceeding that of any other nation of the earth. In it the world has found a solution of the long mooted problem, as to the capability of man to govern himself. In it was the germ which has vegetated, and still is to grow and expand into the universal liberty of mankind.” MenWorldLongStillsProblemEarthPoliticalFoundGivenNationsGrowsLibertyMankindRevolutionProudDegreesSolutionsUniversalCapabilityGermsPolitical FreedomPolitical Revolution Book:Lincoln Speeches Source: Lincoln Speeches
“There's a difference between being able to make long distance phone calls cheaper on the Internet and walking around Riyadh with a PDA where you can have all of Google in your pocket. It's a difference in degree that's so enormous it becomes a difference in kind.” KindLongAbleDifferencesInternetWalkingDegreesDistancePhonesEnormousPocketsGoogleCheaperPhone CallsLong DistancePdaRiyadh Author:Thomas Friedman
“Opposition to the truth is inevitable, especially if it takes the form of a new idea, but the degree of resistance can be diminished- by giving thought not only to the aim but to the method of approach. Avoid a frontal attack on a long established position; instead, seek to turn it by flank movement, so that a more penetrable side is exposed to the thrust of truth. But, in any such indirect approach, take care not to diverge from the truth- for nothing is more fatal to its real advancement than to lapse into untruth.” IfsGivingLongIdeasRealCareFormTurnsSidesMovementPositionTruth IsDegreesApproachAimMethodTake CareResistanceInevitableOppositionExposedNew IdeasAdvancementThrustIndirectUntruthLapses Book:Why Don't We Learn from History? Source: Why Don't We Learn from History?
“Not long ago, if you wanted to seize political power in a country you had merely to control the army and the police. Today it is only in the most backward countries that fascist generals, in carrying out a coup d'état, still use tanks. If a country has reached a high degree of industrialization the whole scene changes.... Today a country belongs to the person who controls communications.” IfsPersonsLongStillsCountryWholeUseTodayWantedPoliticalCommunicationSceneDegreesArmyPoliceLong AgoTanksFascistsPolitical PowerCoupsIndustrialization Author:Umberto Eco
“Symons remarked that the most common and unhelpful illusion plaguing those who came to see him was the idea that they ought somehow, in the normal course of events, to have intuited long before they had finished their degrees, started families, bought houses and risen to the top of law firms - what they should properly be doing with their lives. They were tormented by a residual notion of having through some error or stupidity on their part missed out on their true calling.” ShouldLongIdeasLawCoursesHouseCommonEventsOughtCallingDegreesNormalIllusionErrorsNotionStupidityFinishedFirmRisenResidualLaw Firms Author:Alain de Botton
“Wickedness comes to its height by degrees. He that dares say of a less sin, Is it not a little one? will ere long say of a greater, Tush, God regards it not!” LittlesLongSinGreaterDegreesRegardDareHeightWickedness Book:The Works of Anne Bradstreet Source: The Works of Anne Bradstreet