Best Middle Ground Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“17. One of the secrets of successful living is found in the word balance, referring to the avoidance of harmful extremes. We need food, but we should not overeat. We should work, but not make work our only activity. We should play, but not let play rule us. Throughout life, it will be important to find the safety of the middle ground rather than the imbalance of the extremes.”

Source: Life on the Edge: The Next Generation's Guide to a Meaningful Future

“Knight, of course, felt that anyone's willing assistance tainted the whole thing. Either you are hidden or you're not, no middle ground. He wished to be unconditionally alone, exiled to an island of his own creation, an uncontacted tribe of one.”

Creation Alone Assistance Exile One Hidden Tainted Island Middle Ground Tribe Exiled Unconditionally Uncontacted

Book:The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

Source: The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

“I can still see Boo sitting there on the floor, cross-legged, holding my Ken and watching my face as she tried to make me see that between my mother'sPTA and Boo's strange ways there was a middle ground that began here with my Barbie, Sab-rina,and led right to me. "She can be anything," Boo told me, and this is what I remember most, her freckled face so solemn, as if she knew she was the first to tell me. "And so can you.”

Remember Solemn First Barbie Middle Ground

Book:Dreamland

Source: Dreamland

“I wasn't rebellious. Maybe I was just more human than the average person.”

Rebellious Middle Ground Maddie

Book:Still Point

Source: Still Point

“You weren't supposed to think. Just feel. You need to drop some of your senses in order to heighten others.”

Feel Middle Ground Maddie

Book:Still Point

Source: Still Point

“A healthy discussion can take place only if all sides have respect for each other's views. Otherwise they just drive each other to their extremes and ultimately explode.”

Life Philosophy Spirituality Argument Discussion Extremism Middle Ground

Author:Shunya

“Why can't I be content with a structured, predictable life? Why do I have to take risks?...There are so many clean paths trimmed and paved and I always have to run through the middle, where there is no path; there are vines and brambles and rocks and holes and I fall down and scrape the hell out of my life. For what? Kicks?”

Life Awaken Middle Ground Road Less Taken

Book:Middle Ground

Source: Middle Ground

“Even as we seek to be meek and to avoid contention, we must not compromise or dilute our commitment to the truths we understand. We must not surrender our positions or our values. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the covenants we have made inevitably cast us as combatants in the eternal contest between truth and error. there is no middle ground in that contest.”

Made Values Jesus Christ Middle Position Eternal Commitment Jesus Christ Errors Casts Surrender Compromise Contests Covenant Meek Contention Middle Ground

Author:Dallin H. Oaks

“If I could leave this body with one wish, it would be that we never give up that search for common ground, .. The politics of common ground will not be found on the far right, or on the far left. That is not where most Americans live. We will only find it on the firm middle ground, based on common sense and shared values.”

Ifs Giving Body Would Be Values Found Left Wish Common Middle Giving Up Common Sense Firm If I Could Never Giving Up Common Ground Middle Ground Shared Values

Author:Tom Daschle

“An enormously vast field lies between "God exists" and "there is no God." The truly wise man traverses it with great difficulty. A Russian knows one or the other of these two extremes, but is not interested in the middle ground. He usually knows nothing, or very little.”

Knows Men Littles Two Lying Wise Middle Fields Difficulty Extremes Not Interested There Is No God God Exists Middle Ground Traverse Two Extremes

Author:Anton Chekhov

“There are two threats to reason, the opinion that one knows the truth about the most important things and the opinion that there is no truth about them. Both of these opinions are fatal to philosophy; the first asserts that the quest for truth is unnecessary, while the second asserts that it is impossible. The Socratic knowledge of ignorance, which I take to be the beginning point of all philosophy, defines the sensible middle ground between two extremes.”

Knows Firsts Two Important Reason Philosophy Opinion Impossible Middle Ignorance Truth Is Important Things Threat Extremes Sensible Quests Unnecessary Middle Ground Two Extremes Socratic

Author:Allan Bloom

“One of the unfortunate consequences of the intellectualization of man's spiritual life was that the word "spirit" was lost and replaced by mind or intellect, and that the element of vitality which is present in "spirit" was separated and interpreted as an independent biological force. Man was divided into a bloodless intellect and a meaningless vitality. The middle ground between them, the spiritual soul, in which vitality and intentionality are united, was dropped.”

Source: Writings on religion

“Virtue lies in the middle ground.”

Lying Virtue Middle Middle Ground

Author:Jose Rizal

“Obviously, if theism is a belief in a God and atheism is a lack of a belief in a God, no third position or middle ground is possible. A person can either believe or not believe in a God. Therefore, our previous definition of atheism has made an impossibility out of the common usage of agnosticism to mean "neither affirming nor denying a belief in God."”

Source: An Anthology of Atheism and Rationalism

“We need an idiot middle ground, where we have to be honest and say, kids can be idiots and cops can be idiots.”

Needs Kids Middle Honest Being Honest Idiot Cop Middle Ground

Author:Greg Gutfeld

“As a critic, I try very hard to say exactly what I think. And in a medium in which we are well-known for the binary thumbs up and thumbs down, I try to be able to give the mixed review. But most pictures fall into that middle ground, so I wrestle over which way my thumb is going to turn. It's not flip.”

Thinking Way Giving Trying Wells Hard Able Turns Fall Known Middle Critics Mediums Reviews Well Known Thumbs Flip Binary Middle Ground Thumbs Up Thumbs Down

Author:Gene Siskel

“The Greeks, who knew everything, understood that without the orgy there is no middle ground between bedlam and Toronto ... we need the healing grace of the orgy in this country.”

Needs Country Healing Grace Middle Understood Greek Toronto Middle Ground

Author:Hugh MacLennan

“Both poverty and wealth are excellent things, because they are extremes, but the middle ground is damaging to the soul.”

Soul Wealth Money Poverty Middle Extremes Excellent Middle Ground

Author:Pamela Moore

“To handle that stardom, the red carpets, the photo shoots, people all of a sudden recognizing you and following you in everyday life, it's a bit weird. It's strange, and it can have funny effects on you in terms of do you like it or don't you like it. Some people run away from it, some people embrace it; I found a good middle ground.”

“When I was growing up, I always felt there was an expectation that I would do one of two things: be great at something, or go crazy and become a total failure. There is no middle ground where I come from, and I am only now beginning to get a sense that there is a middle ground at all.”

Two Felt Growing Up Growing Crazy Middle Expectations Two Things Middle Ground

Author:Marya Hornbacher

“I dont accept the idea that there are two sides to any issue. I think that the middle ground is to be found within most of us.”

Thinking Two Ideas Found Sides Accepting Issues Middle Two Sides Middle Ground

Author:Krista Tippett

“The new ground that you form in your living is a new self, a new self that isn't at all of the middle ground, a lived-in self that has no need of middle ground. That new self makes unseen reality within seen.”

Needs Self Reality Form Middle Unseen Middle Ground New Self

Author:John de Ruiter

“There is no moral middle ground. Indifference is not an option. ... For the sake of our children, I implore each of you to be unyielding and inflexible in your opposition to drugs.”

Children Moral Middle Drug Our Children Sake Indifference Opposition Middle Ground Unyielding

Author:Oliver North

“In the minds of most men, the kingdom of opinion is divided into three territories,--the territory of yes, the territory of no, and a broad, unexplored middle ground of doubt.”

Men Mind Three Opinion Doubt Middle Kingdoms Broads Divided Territory Middle Ground Unexplored

Author:James A. Garfield

“..remember that under our institutions there was no middle ground for the negro race between slavery and equal citizenship.”

Remember Race Middle Equal Institutions Slavery Citizenship Middle Ground

Book:The works of James Abram Garfield. (2 Volumes) Volume 2

Source: The works of James Abram Garfield. (2 Volumes) Volume 2

“The art of banking is always to balance the risk of a run with the reward of a profit. The tantalizing factor in the equation is that riskier borrowers pay higher interest rates. Ultimate safety - a strongbox full of currency - would avail the banker nothing. Maximum risk - a portfolio of loans to prospective bankrupts at usurious interest rates - would invite disaster. A good banker safely and profitably treads the middle ground.”

“The mind is either at war with God or it is being renewed. There is no middle ground.”

Mind War Middle Middle Ground

Author:Bill Johnson

“All the best movies are the ones that are cut from a more middle ground.”

Cutting Middle All The Best Middle Ground

Author:Kristen Schaal

“It's been kind of extreme - people either love it or they don't like it at all - and I think that's a good thing. It's my first art project where there's not a middle ground. I find it very interesting. But the negative feedback hasn't at all kept me from doing it, obviously. Because I haven't really gotten any negative feedback that I feel is really warranted.”

People Thinking Feels Firsts Kind Art Interesting Middle Havens Projects Negative Good Things Extremes Feedback Very Interesting Middle Ground Art Projects Negative Feedback

Author:Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

“There is no way of finding the middle ground, even with the best intentions of the world. Our most sensible policy is to stall.”

World Way Middle Policy Findings Intention Sensible Middle Ground Best Intentions

Author:Yitzhak Rabin

“I'm not a political person. I don't understand politics, I don't understand the concept of two sides and I think that probably there's good on both sides, bad on both sides, and there's a middle ground, but it never seems to come to the middle ground and it's very frustrating watching it and seemingly we're not moving forward.”

Thinking Persons Two Seems Moving Political Sides Middle Concepts Moving Forward Both Sides Frustrating Two Sides Middle Ground

Author:David Lynch

“Where was the middle ground between a sense of adventure and just plain sense?”

Middle Adventure Middle Ground

Book:Nobody's Fool

Source: Nobody's Fool

“To be able to impress, you have to get to this middle ground where you're not too advanced so it goes over people's heads, and you're not too minimalist where people think you're just trying to rob the game and not stretch out.”

People Thinking Trying Able Games Middle Impress Minimalist Middle Ground

Author:DJ Quik

“There is no middle ground in Hollywood; you're a failure or you're a success. That mentality is wild.”

Middle Hollywood Mentality Middle Ground

Author:Javier Bardem

“In my experience, you either have encapsulation and abstraction or you have neither. There is no middle ground.”

Middle Abstraction Middle Ground

Author:Steve McConnell

“In the field of controversy I always pity the moderate party, who stand on the open middle ground exposed to the fire of both sides.”

Sides Party Fire Middle Fields Pity Exposed Both Sides Controversy Moderates Middle Ground

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Edited in Seven Volumes with Introduction, Notes, Appendices, and Index

Source: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Edited in Seven Volumes with Introduction, Notes, Appendices, and Index

“That middle ground of films used to be 70, 80, 90, 100; now it's like anything over 20 or under 140, the middle ground has become this huge area where they don't really want to be.”

Want Film Used Middle Huge Areas Used To Be Middle Ground

Author:Eric Fellner

“We all hold on to some image of the family we want, based one way or another on the family we had. Lots of people are thrilled about the families they came from, others couldn't get away fast enough. Most people fall into that vast middle ground: great affection mixed with a few ideas for improvement. A couple of things they wish could have perhaps been done differently.”

People Way Want Ideas Done Enough Fall Wish Middle Couple Affection Improvement One Way Get Away Middle Ground

Author:Paul Reiser

“The classic statement on polarization comes from Christ: 'He that is not with me is against me.' (Luke 11:23) He allowed no middle ground to the moneychangers in the Temple. One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.”

Sides Christ Middle Devil Angel Conviction Statements Classic Temples Luke Middle Ground Polarization

Book:Thirteen Tactics for Realistic Radicals: from Rules for Radicals

Source: Thirteen Tactics for Realistic Radicals: from Rules for Radicals

“I believe we're headed to an Elijah/Jezebel showdown on the Earth, not just in America but all over the globe, and the main warriors will be the prophets of Baal versus the prophets of God, and there will be no middle ground.”

Believe Earth America I Believe Middle Warrior Prophet Globes Versus Elijah Middle Ground Jezebel Showdowns

Author:Lou Engle

“Maybe there is a sort of a sweet middle ground there, where you can do something with something with like 20 to 40 million and do something which is much more character driven, but still create a sort of visual spectacle around it. That is what I'd like to do.”

Stills Character Can Do Millions Middle Sweet Driven Visuals Can Do Something Middle Ground

Author:Duncan Jones

“At one time I was a nihilistic punk with a mohican and a ring in my nose. I think in the course of time I'll find a middle ground, but I also carry that sense of responsibility. I'm in a position to defeat stereotypes.”

Thinking Courses Responsibility Middle Position Defeat Rings Noses One Time Punk Stereotype Sense Of Responsibility Middle Ground

Author:Michelle Shocked

“Reality's its own thing. And I'm not really into reality that much. I'm into this cinematic stylized reality that can comment on reality. It's like the most beautiful parts of reality and the saddest parts, but it's none of this middle ground.”

Reality Beautiful Middle Comment Saddest Cinematic Middle Ground

Author:Zack Snyder

“You can tell your kids they are perfect and don't need to change - which could cause insecurity when they recognize their own shortcomings - or tell them they are terrible, which would undermine their sense of self-worth and confidence. There's a happy middle ground.”

Needs Self Kids Causes Perfect Middle Terrible Self Worth Insecurity Shortcomings Sense Of Self Need A Change Middle Ground

Author:Daphne Oz

“The older I get, the more determined I feel to do whatever I can to help release that human potential somehow. Not in a fluffy way nor in a hardcore way. But in that middle ground, that marriage of love and power. I'm not afraid of either.”

Way Feels Humans I Can Helping Middle Determined Release Not Afraid Hardcore Human Potential Fluffy Middle Ground

Author:Jacqueline Novogratz

“Poetry either pulses with real life or it's just an aborted simulacra. There's no middle ground.”

Real Middle Real Life Pulse Middle Ground

Author:Andre Naffis-Sahely

“Let's at least acknowledge who is working in America right now and what our needs are, as well as the moral question of somebody who's been here 20 years, paying taxes to which they probably do not receive a refund, and not committing any crimes, working hard, and supporting an industry. Shouldn't there be some middle ground here? Shouldn't there be a way for them to be welcome in this country?”

Way Needs Years Wells Country Hard America Moral Middle Crime Industry Right Now Taxes Welcome Acknowledge Middle Ground Paying Taxes Refunds

Author:Anthony Bourdain

“It does feel like the middle ground has fallen out. I'm only saying that from personal experience, saying, "I'd like to make that movie" and hearing, "Oh, they're not making those types of movies anymore."”

Feels Doe Middle Type Hearing Fallen Personal Experiences Middle Ground

Author:Leonardo DiCaprio

“I think there's a gradient that goes from science to art and magic is the middle ground. I think that we're all trying to understand and define the world around us but often it's experimental.”

Thinking World Trying Art Magic Middle Middle Ground

Author:Vik Muniz

“I think we all recognize that one of the problems in American culture is that increasingly, there's no middle ground. That either you're a celebrity writer or a celebrity poet, or else you're nothing.”

Thinking Problem Culture Middle Poet American Culture Middle Ground

Author:Frederic Tuten

Middle Ground Quotes

Related topics

Middle Ground Quotes