It is possible that the contemplation of cruelty will not make us humane but cruel; that the reiteration of the badness of our spiritual condition will make us consent to it.
More Quotes from Lionel Trilling:
Probably it is impossible for humor to be ever a revolutionary weapon. Candide can do little more than generate irony.Lionel Trilling
In the American metaphysic, reality is always material reality, hard, resistant, unformed, impenetrable, and unpleasant.
Lionel Trilling
Youth is a time when we find the books we give up but do not get over.
Lionel Trilling
There is no connection between the political ideas of our educated class and the deep places of the imagination.
Lionel Trilling
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Based on Topics: Contemplation QuotesBased on Keywords: badness, reiteration
What helps me go forward is that I stay receptive, I feel that anything can happen.
Anouk Aimee
And finally, it was Deuteronomy that brought about the historical result of Josiah's reformation.
Julius Wellhausen
Not only that, but when I first met Joe, to my intense delight, he showed me that he was a collector. He was collecting some of the early Tarzan pages by Hal Foster, and, later, early Flash Gordons; and I found that we were both absolutely interested in the same type of thing.
Joe Shuster