Quote collection
155 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"The body stores the trauma of our lives in muscular rigidity, thereby keeping us stuck in the past. When we release the tension in the body and align ourselves with gravity, we take a new stand in life. This allows us to be at ease with ourselves and in harmony in our relationship to others and to our planet."
"From men motivated by moral certitude, history teaches, no lasting good ever comes."
"The question is: what is a sane man to do in an insane society?"
"¨ Oh, I´m not complaining. I know there´s a war on. I know a lot of people are going to have to suffer for us to win it. But why must I be one of them?¨"
"Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three. Even among men lacking all distinction he inevitably stood out as a man lacking more distinction than all the rest, and people who met him were always impressed by how unimpressive he was."
"I think in every country that there is at least one executive who is scared of going crazy."
"All through the night, men looked at the sky and were saddened by the stars."
"He knew everything about literature except how to enjoy it."
"Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives."
"You have deep-seated survival anxieties. And you don't like bigots, bullies, snobs or hypocrites. Subconsciously there are many people you hate." "Consciously, sir, consciously," Yossarian corrected in an effort to help. "I hate them consciously."
"Be glad you're even alive.' Be furious you're going to die."
"We do have a zeal for laughter in most situations, give or take a dentist."
"Major Major had lied, and it was good. He was not really surprised that it was good, for he had observed that people who did lie were, on the whole, more resourceful and ambitious and successful than people who did not lie."
"There was only one catch and that was catch 22"
"I can't start writing until I have a closing line."
"Where were you born?" "On a battlefield," [Yossarian] answered. "No, no. In what state were you born?" "In a state of innocence."
"... there is wisdom in madness and strong probability of truth in all accusations, for people are complete, and everyone is capable of everything."
"I couldn't see much point in tying myself down to a middle-aged woman with four children, even though the woman was my wife and the children were my own."
"The Lord gave us farmers two strong hands so we could grab as much as we could with both of them."
"But that was war. Just about all he could find in its favor was that it paid well and liberated children from the pernicious influence of their parents."