Aphorisms Galore!

Altruism and Cynicism

173 aphorisms  ·  14 comments

Aphorisms in This Category

tiny.ag/4tfl7wlh  ·   Fair (69 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river.

Cordel Hull, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/o1xf5nap  ·   Fair (164 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

If a feller says, "It's not the money, it's the principle of the thing," it's the money.

Elbert Hubbard, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/lu0qepci  ·   Fair (167 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

An enemy is anyone who tells the truth about you.

Elbert Hubbard, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/gu6tloek  ·   Fair (298 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.

Simon Cameron, in Altruism and Cynicism and Law and Politics

tiny.ag/lgolcdhe  ·   Fair (147 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

Getting caught is the mother of invention.

Robert Byrne, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/pbhm4rie  ·   Fair (396 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them.

Samuel Butler, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/43mefad8  ·   Fair (157 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

All government -- indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act -- is founded on compromise and barter.

Edmund Burke, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/ahfxksue  ·   Fair (331 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

You can't be truly rude until you understand good manners.

Rita Mae Brown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/fmchbiz9  ·   Fair (387 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.

Rita Mae Brown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/764yzbuo  ·   Fair (233 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.

A. Whitney Brown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/mgrteolp  ·   Fair (258 ratings)  ·  submitted 2011 by peter

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

Robert J. Hanlon, in Altruism and Cynicism and Vice and Virtue

tiny.ag/ywjorl1b  ·   Fair (394 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

When the government fears the people, we have liberty. When the people fear the government, we have tyranny.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism and Law and Politics

tiny.ag/donivp2q  ·   Fair (221 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

Tact is the ability to tell a man he has an open mind when he has a hole in his head.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/ffrhkz8y  ·   Fair (257 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

The Golden Rule: whoever has the gold makes the rules.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism and Success and Failure

tiny.ag/ceh5zfoy  ·   Fair (249 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

There are two reasons for doing something: a really good reason and the real reason.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/l9jtfiar  ·   Fair (249 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

To err is human, to blame the next guy even more so.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/u1yhdeyw  ·   Fair (819 ratings)  ·  submitted 1999

Trust everybody, but cut the cards.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/zm6nq4mh  ·   Fair (257 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

We should forgive our enemies, but only after they've been taken out and shot.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/z1irlfxp  ·   Fair (251 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

Once you've tried to change the world you find it's a whole bunch easier to change your mind.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism and Success and Failure

tiny.ag/jwsmtwxg  ·   Fair (281 ratings)  ·  submitted 1997

Subtlety is the art of saying what you think and getting out of the way before it is understood.

Unknown, in Altruism and Cynicism