Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
We like to see others, but don’t like others to see through us.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
The wolf changes his coat, but not his disposition.
—Common Proverb
Our humanity rests upon a series of learned behaviors, woven together into patterns that are infinitely fragile and never directly inherited.
—Margaret Mead (1901–78) American Anthropologist, Social Psychologist
Of course, behaviorism works. So does torture. Give me a no-nonsense, down-to-earth behaviorist, a few drugs, and simple electrical appliances, and in six months I will have him reciting the Athanasian Creed in public.
—W. H. Auden (1907–73) British-born American Poet, Dramatist
The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well? You may say the wisest thing you can, old man,—you who have lived seventy years, not without honor of a kind,—I hear an irresistible voice which invites me away from all that.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The world of the happy is quite different from that of the unhappy.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
What we are doing at the moment is more that just one thing added to the rest; it is a memoir.
—Unknown
The man of character, sensitive to the meaning of what he is doing, will know how to discover the ethical paths in the maze of possible behavior.
—Earl Warren (1891–1974) American Judge, Politician
Our thinking and our behaviour are always in anticipation of a response. It is therefore fear-based.
—Deepak Chopra (b.1946) Indian-born American Physician, Public Speaker, Writer
The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
People’s behavior makes sense if you think about it in terms of their goals, needs, and motives.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
Still people are dangerous.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
What ever is the natural propensity of a person is hard to overcome. If a dog were made a king, he would still gnaw at his shoes laces.
—The Hitopadesha Indian Collection of Fables
Everyone is bound to bear patiently the results of his own behavior.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
I don’t say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could.
—Orson Welles (1915–85) American Film Director, Actor
A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectively on sympathy, education, and social relationships; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Suppose that humans happen to be so constructed that they desire the opportunity for freely undertaken productive work. Suppose that they want to be free from the meddling of technocrats and commissars, bankers and tycoons, mad bombers who engage in psychological tests of will with peasants defending their homes, behavioral scientists who can’t tell a pigeon from a poet, or anyone else who tries to wish freedom and dignity out of existence or beat them into oblivion.
—Noam Chomsky (b.1928) American Linguist, Social Critic
We practically always excuse things when we understand them
—Mikhail Lermontov (1814–41) Russian Novelist, Poet
Behave so the aroma of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
A man that is well ordered in his soul needeth little the unkind demeanor of worldly people nor yet their proud behavior.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Behavior is a mirror in which everyone displays his image.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Oddities and singularities of behavior may attend genius, but when they do, they are its misfortunes and blemishes.—The man of true genius will be ashamed of them, or, at least, will never affect to be distinguished by them.
—William Temple (1881–1944) English Theologian, Archbishop
Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.
—George W. Crane (1901–95) American Psychologist, Physician
Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Behavior which appears superficially correct but is intrinsically corrupt always irritates those who see below the surface
—James Bryant Conant (1893–1978) American Chemist, Educator
Physics does not change the nature of the world it studies, and no science of behavior can change the essential nature of man, even though both sciences yield technologies with a vast power to manipulate the subject matters.
—B. F. Skinner (1904–90) American Psychologist, Social Philosopher, Inventor, Author
With a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and with a fraud I try to be a fraud and a half.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
The test of one’s behavior pattern; relationship to society, relationship to one’s work, relationship to sex.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
A consciousness of inward knowledge gives confidence to the outward behavior, which, of all things, is the best to grace a man in his carriage.
—Owen Feltham (1602–1668) English Essayist
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