— Immanuel Kant German philosopher 1724 - 1804
Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made.
Out of timber so crooked as that from which man is made nothing entirely straight can be built.
From such crooked wood as that which man is made of, nothing straight can be fashioned.
Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Point of View (1784)
Contexte: The master is himself an animal, and needs a master. Let him begin it as he will, it is not to be seen how he can procure a magistracy which can maintain public justice and which is itself just, whether it be a single person or a group of several elected persons. For each of them will always abuse his freedom if he has none above him to exercise force in accord with the laws. The highest master should be just in himself, and yet a man. This task is therefore the hardest of all; indeed, its complete solution is impossible, for from such crooked wood as man is made of, nothing perfectly straight can be built. That it is the last problem to be solved follows also from this: it requires that there be a correct conception of a possible constitution, great experience gained in many paths of life, and — far beyond these — a good will ready to accept such a constitution. Three such things are very hard, and if they are ever to be found together, it will be very late and after many vain attempts.
— Ernest Hemingway American author and journalist 1899 - 1961
New York Journal-American (11 July 1961)
Source: The Wild Years
„To be the master of money, you need to be smarter than it. Then money will do as it is told. It will obey you. Instead of being a slave to it, you will be the master of it. That is financial intelligence.“
— Robert T. Kiyosaki American finance author , investor 1947
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money-That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!
„The abstract categories of imperialism are neither exempt from the need of a foundation, nor will the fact that they are coextensive with ordinary discourse provide them with the needed foundation.“
— Silvia Federici Italian American scholar, teacher, and feminist activist 1942
"Viet Cong Philosophy: Tran Duc Thao" (1970)
„The very name Aikido indicates its dependence on the laws of nature, which we term ki. Aikido means the way to harmony with ki. That is to say, Aikido is a discipline to make the heart of nature our own heart, to understand love for all things, and to become one with nature. Techniques and physical strength have limits; the great way of the universe stretches to infinity.“
— Koichi Tohei Japanese aikidoka 1920 - 2011
Source: Book of Ki (1976), p. 106
Contexte: !-- We would cease to exist if removed from the laws of nature. For instance, we would be totally unable to maintain stability on the surface of the earth without the force of gravity. --> Only those with their eyes open to the world of nature are capable of uncovering its truth. Everything springs from a sense of gratitude toward nature. Aikido, though praised as a healthful system of self-defense techniques, would be nothing apart from the laws of the great universe. The martial way begins and ends with courtesy, itself an attitude of thankfulness to and reverence for nature. To be mistaken on this basic point is to make of the martial arts no more than weapons of injury and death.
The very name Aikido indicates its dependence on the laws of nature, which we term ki. Aikido means the way to harmony with ki. That is to say, Aikido is a discipline to make the heart of nature our own heart, to understand love for all things, and to become one with nature. Techniques and physical strength have limits; the great way of the universe stretches to infinity.
„If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.“
— Henry David Thoreau, Walden ou la Vie dans les bois
„They are masters of the earthquake, and Atlantis rests on none too solid a foundation. Their power is sufficient to sink Atlantis forever beneath the sea.“
— Henry Kuttner American author 1915 - 1958
Zend explaining the Spawn of Dagon to Elak
Short fiction, The Spawn Of Dagon (1938)
Contexte: "They dare'd not invade the palace while the globe shone, for the light-rays would have killed them. … This island-continent would have gone down beneath the sea long ago if I hadn't pitted my magic and my science against that of the children of Dagon. They are masters of the earthquake, and Atlantis rests on none too solid a foundation. Their power is sufficient to sink Atlantis forever beneath the sea. But within that room" — Zend nodded toward the curtain that hid the sea-bred horrors — "in that room there is power far stronger than theirs. I have drawn strength from the stars, and the cosmic sources beyond the universe. You know nothing of my power. It is enough — more than enough — to keep Atlantis steady on its foundation, impregnable against the attacks of Dagon's breed. They have destroyed other lands before Atlantis."
„My heart only ever had one thought, one want. One need. Despite all, in spite of all… All my heart has ever wanted is you.“
— Stephanie Laurens Australian writer 1943
Source: The Edge of Desire
„To be completely woman you need a master, and in him a compass for your life. You need a man you can look up to and respect. If you dethrone him it's no wonder that you are discontented, and discontented women are not loved for long.“
— Marlene Dietrich German-American actress and singer 1901 - 1992
„Which ever one of you will want to become a journalist, let him remember to choose his own master: the reader.“
— Indro Montanelli Italian journalist 1909 - 2001
From a lecture of journalism at the University of Turin, 12 May 1997; cited in La Stampa, 14 April, 2009.
1950s - 1990s
— Eckhart Tolle German writer 1948
Source: A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
„Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?"
"Of course there is," said the Master.
"How would you describe it?"
"Liberation from the need to belong to the herd."“
— Anthony de Mello Indian writer 1931 - 1987
Source: One Minute Nonsense (1992), p. 172
„The best foundation that a decision is ever allowed is our fallible assessment of the probabilities.“
— Poul Anderson, livre The People of the Wind
Source: The People of the Wind (1973), Chapter 17 (p. 161)
„My work is the only ground I've ever had to stand on. I seem to have a whole superstructure with no foundation — but I'm working on the foundation.“
— Marilyn Monroe American actress, model, and singer 1926 - 1962
As quoted in Marilyn Monroe : In Her Own Words (1983), edited by Roger Taylor
„The organic unity of mathematics is inherent in the nature of this science, for mathematics is the foundation of all exact knowledge of natural phenomena. That it may completely fulfil this high mission, may the new century bring it gifted masters and many zealous and enthusiastic disciples!“
— David Hilbert, Mathematical Problems
Mathematical Problems (1900)
— Barack Obama 44th President of the United States of America 1961
2014, Remarks to the People of Estonia (September 2014)