The human condition - Oxymoronica Style

A life of ease is a difficult pursuit. - William Cowper

Life is easier than you'd think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable. - Kathleen Norris

The most exquisite folly is made of wisdom spun too fine. - Benjamin Franklin

More humor from oxymoronica

Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you. - Carl Jung

Ours is a world where people don't know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it. - Don Marquis

I'm often wrong, but never in doubt. - Ivy Baker Priest

Oxymoronica Humor

Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing. - Robert C. Benchley

We started off trying to set up a small anarchist community, but people wouldn't obey the rules. - Adam Bennett

Instant gratification takes too long. - Carrie Fisher

To appreciate nonsense requires a serious interest in life. - Gelett Burgess

Mirror, mirror on the wall

The greatest of faults . . . is to be conscious of none. - Thomas Carlyle

Contradiction in terms

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. - Chesterton

Listening more closely

When I don't like a piece of music, I make it a point of listening more closely. - Florent Schmitt

Unlearning

The chief object of education is not to learn things but to unlearn things. - Chesterton

You can't fix stupid

Many learned people have read themselves stupid. - Arthur Schopenhauer

Silence

Silence is more eloquent that words. - Thomas Carlyle

Our equals

We who are liberal and progressive know that the poor are our equals in every sense except that of being equal to us. - Lionel Trilling

Perhaps it's time to delve into Oxymorinica and pull some fun quotes from that book this week.

Yesterday's forgotten quote

I've a grand memory for forgetting.  -Robert Louis Stevenson

Our dilemma

Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better. - Sydney J. Harris
       Two for today, since I was a distracted slacker yesterday.  I could ramble on about this quote for a long time.  My experiences over the last few years make me realize just how true this statement is for the vast majority of us. I am sure I fall into this way of thinking more than I realize.

Ancient Oxymoronica

To show resentment at a reproach is to acknowledge that one may have deserved it. - Tacitus, in Annals
       I should remember this next time I am too easily offended by the words of another when they are voicing their criticism or disapproval. One of the greatest offenses to the Ancients is pride, and Christianity agreed with those sentiments in the ancient world. While we are too easily snagged by sins of the body like gluttony, sloth and lust, it is pride that drives the most profound wedge between God and man. While pride may be the worst and proverbial mother of all sins, any sin we commit and fail to repent of is one we get to keep forever. That's bad news, the Good News is the mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ who has been offered for our sins and is risen for our Redemption.