"Men are of three different capacities: one understands intuitively; another understands so far as it is explained; and a third understands neither of himself nor by explanation. The first is excellent, the second, commendable, and the third, altogether useless."
Useless quotes
Useless
493 quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
Explore further
Topics related to Useless
Browse quotes that often appear alongside useless — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
Quote collection
Useless quotes (page 1 of 25)
Follow a thought to its author, or read the full quote page.
"A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless."
"It is useless not to seek, not to want, for when you cease to seek you start to find, and when you cease to want, then life begins to ram her fish and chips down your gullet until you puke, and then the puke down your gullet until you puke the puke, and then the puked puke until you begin to like it."
"Knowledge without practice is useless. Practice without knowledge is dangerous."
"You may be exhausted with work, you may even kill yourself, but unless your work is interwoven with love, it is useless. To work without love is slavery."
"When I am in the city I have the impression that I am in a living room with crystal chandeliers, rugs of velvet, and satin cushions. And when I'm in the favela I have the impression that I'm a useless object, destined to be forever in a garbage dump."
"Preparing for battle, plans were essential. But once the battle was joined, plans were useless."
"Computers are useless - all they can give you are answers."
"Nothing useless can be truly beautiful."
"It is useless to meet revenge with revenge; it will heal nothing."
"There is only one reason for an individual to side-step to the useless side : the fear of a defeat on the useful side."
"It is quite useless knocking at the door of heaven for earthly comfort. It's not the sort of comfort they supply there."
"It would be absolutely useless for any of us to work to save wildlife without working to educate the next generation of conservationists."
"Without the Gospel everything is useless and vain."
"The goal I proposed myself in making cubism? To paint and nothing more... with a method linked only to my thought... Neither the good nor the true; neither the useful nor the useless."
"Genius is its own reward; for the best that one is, one must necessarily be for oneself. . . . Further, genius consists in the working of the free intellect., and as a consequence the productions of genius serve no useful purpose. The work of genius may be music, philosophy, painting, or poetry; it is nothing for use or profit. To be useless and unprofitable is one of the characteristics of genius; it is their patent of nobility."
"Beauty Should Begin in the Heart and Soul, otherwise cosmetics are useless."
"All art critics are useless or harmful."
"If we're picking people to draw out of their own conscience and experience a 'new' Constitution, we should not look principally for good lawyers. We should look to people who agree with us. When we are in that mode, you realize we have rendered the Constitution useless."
"It is useless to try to stir the dirt Out of the muddy water, As it will become murkier. But leave it alone, And if it should be cleared; It will become clear by itself."
"He is useless on top of the ground; he ought to be under it, inspiring the cabbages."