Quote of the day
"The most futile thing in this world is any attempt, perhaps, at exact definition of character. All individuals are a bundle of contradictions -- none more so than the most capable."
–Theodore Dreiser
"The most futile thing in this world is any attempt, perhaps, at exact definition of character. All individuals are a bundle of contradictions -- none more so than the most capable."
–Theodore Dreiser
Comments
That is a great quote.
A bit less profound, but interesting notion by Malcolm Gladwell: there are not really "nice" or "mean" people. When you first meet someone, you will end up judging them on the kind of day they're having.
(People who meet me first thing in the morning undoubtably think I'm a real piece of work!!) ;)
I guess I don't like the idea of boiling away any identifying attributes of "good character" and muddle all behavior together so that the good guy can stand next to the bad buy and they are socially undestinguishable. Here are two quotes I like better:
WOODROW WILSON
"If you will think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself. Character is a by-product, and any man who devotes himself to its cultivation in his own case will become a selfish prig."
H. JACKSON BROWN JR.
"Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking."