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Joseph Brodsky Quotes

It would be enough for me to have the system of a jury of twelve versus the system of one judge as a basis for preferring the U. S. To the Soviet Union. I would prefer the country you can leave to the country you cannot Picture Quote #1

Life - the way it really is - is a battle not between bad and good but between bad and worse Picture Quote #1

Life is a game with many rules but no referee. One learns how to play it more by watching it than by consulting any book, including the holy book. Small wonder, then, that so many play dirty, that so few win, that so many lose Picture Quote #1

The poetic notion of infinity is far greater than that which is sponsored by any creed Picture Quote #1

What I like about cities is that everything is king size, the beauty and the ugliness Picture Quote #1

The formula for prison is a lack of space counterbalanced by a surplus of time. This is what really bothers you, that you can't win. Prison is lack of alternatives, and the telescopic predictability of the future is what drives you crazy Picture Quote #1

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The surest defense against Evil is extreme individualism, originality of thinking, whimsicality, even - if you will - eccentricity. That is, something that can't be feigned, faked, imitated; something even a seasoned imposter couldn't be happy with Picture Quote #1

There was Lenin, looking like a cherub in his blonde curls. Then Lenin in his twenties and thirties, bald and uptight Picture Quote #1

There isn't an executioner who isn't scared of turning victim one day, nor is there the sorriest victim who would not acknowledge (if only to himself) a mental ability to become an executioner Picture Quote #1

In general, with things unpleasant, the rule is: The sooner you hit bottom, the faster you surface Picture Quote #1

I always adhered to the idea that God is time, or at least that His spirit is Picture Quote #1

When the eye fails to find beauty - alias solace - it commands the body to create it, or, failing that, adjusts itself to perceive virtue in ugliness Picture Quote #1

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A poet is a combination of an instrument and a human being in one person, with the former gradually taking over the latter. The sensation of this takeover is responsible for timbre; the realization of it, for destiny Picture Quote #1

If a poet has any obligation toward society, it is to write well. Being in the minority, he has no other choice. Failing this duty, he sinks into oblivion. Society, on the other hand, has no obligation toward the poet Picture Quote #1

Every writing career starts as a personal quest for sainthood, for self-betterment. Sooner or later, and as a rule quite soon, a man discovers that his pen accomplishes a lot more than his soul Picture Quote #1

Twentieth century Russian literature has produced nothing special except perhaps one novel and two stories by Andrei Platonov, who ended his days sweeping streets Picture Quote #1

In sissy times, like these, one - a writer, especially - can afford to be brutal, lean, mean, etc. In fact, in sissy times one practically has to peddle gore and garbage, for otherwise one won't sell Picture Quote #1

... in the business of writing what one accumulates is not expertise but uncertainties. Which is but another name for craft Picture Quote #1

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What concerns me is that man, unable to articulate, to express himself adequately, reverts to action. Since the vocabulary of action is limited, as it were, to his body, he is bound to act violently, extending his vocabulary with a weapon where there should have been an adjective Picture Quote #1

Boredom is your window on the properties of time that one tends to ignore to the likely peril of one’s mental equilibrium. It is your window on time’s infinity. Once this window opens, don’t try to shut it; on the contrary, throw it wide open Picture Quote #1

By failing to read or listen to poets, society dooms itself to inferior modes of articulation, those of the politician, the salesman, or the charlatan. In other words, it forfeits its own evolutionary potential. For what distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom is precisely the gift of speech. Poetry is not a form of entertainment and in a certain sense not even a form of art, but it is our anthropological, genetic goal. Our evolutionary, linguistic beacon Picture Quote #1

If there is anything good about exile, it is that it teaches one humility. It accelerates one’s drift into isolation, an absolute perspective. Into the condition at which all one is left with is oneself and one’s language, with nobody or nothing in between. Exile brings you overnight where it would normally take a lifetime to go Picture Quote #1

Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family. Even your super weirdo creep cousin Picture Quote #1

After having exhausted all the arguments on behalf of evil, one utters the creed’s dictums with nostalgia rather than with fervor Picture Quote #1

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Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

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Text Quotes

It would be enough for me to have the system of a jury of twelve versus the system of one judge as a basis for preferring the U. S. To the Soviet Union. I would prefer the country you can leave to the country you cannot (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) Life - the way it really is - is a battle not between bad and good but between bad and worse (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) Life is a game with many rules but no referee. One learns how to play it more by watching it than by consulting any book, including the holy book. Small wonder, then, that so many play dirty, that so few win, that so many lose (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) The poetic notion of infinity is far greater than that which is sponsored by any creed (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) What I like about cities is that everything is king size, the beauty and the ugliness (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) The formula for prison is a lack of space counterbalanced by a surplus of time. This is what really bothers you, that you can't win. Prison is lack of alternatives, and the telescopic predictability of the future is what drives you crazy (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) The surest defense against Evil is extreme individualism, originality of thinking, whimsicality, even - if you will - eccentricity. That is, something that can't be feigned, faked, imitated; something even a seasoned imposter couldn't be happy with (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) There was Lenin, looking like a cherub in his blonde curls. Then Lenin in his twenties and thirties, bald and uptight (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) There isn't an executioner who isn't scared of turning victim one day, nor is there the sorriest victim who would not acknowledge (if only to himself) a mental ability to become an executioner (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) In general, with things unpleasant, the rule is: The sooner you hit bottom, the faster you surface (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) I always adhered to the idea that God is time, or at least that His spirit is (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) When the eye fails to find beauty - alias solace - it commands the body to create it, or, failing that, adjusts itself to perceive virtue in ugliness (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) A poet is a combination of an instrument and a human being in one person, with the former gradually taking over the latter. The sensation of this takeover is responsible for timbre; the realization of it, for destiny (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) If a poet has any obligation toward society, it is to write well. Being in the minority, he has no other choice. Failing this duty, he sinks into oblivion. Society, on the other hand, has no obligation toward the poet (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) Every writing career starts as a personal quest for sainthood, for self-betterment. Sooner or later, and as a rule quite soon, a man discovers that his pen accomplishes a lot more than his soul (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) Twentieth century Russian literature has produced nothing special except perhaps one novel and two stories by Andrei Platonov, who ended his days sweeping streets (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) In sissy times, like these, one - a writer, especially - can afford to be brutal, lean, mean, etc. In fact, in sissy times one practically has to peddle gore and garbage, for otherwise one won't sell (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) ... in the business of writing what one accumulates is not expertise but uncertainties. Which is but another name for craft (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) What concerns me is that man, unable to articulate, to express himself adequately, reverts to action. Since the vocabulary of action is limited, as it were, to his body, he is bound to act violently, extending his vocabulary with a weapon where there should have been an adjective (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) Boredom is your window on the properties of time that one tends to ignore to the likely peril of one’s mental equilibrium. It is your window on time’s infinity. Once this window opens, don’t try to shut it; on the contrary, throw it wide open (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) By failing to read or listen to poets, society dooms itself to inferior modes of articulation, those of the politician, the salesman, or the charlatan. In other words, it forfeits its own evolutionary potential. For what distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom is precisely the gift of speech. Poetry is not a form of entertainment and in a certain sense not even a form of art, but it is our anthropological, genetic goal. Our evolutionary, linguistic beacon (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) If there is anything good about exile, it is that it teaches one humility. It accelerates one’s drift into isolation, an absolute perspective. Into the condition at which all one is left with is oneself and one’s language, with nobody or nothing in between. Exile brings you overnight where it would normally take a lifetime to go (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family. Even your super weirdo creep cousin (Joseph Brodsky Quotes) After having exhausted all the arguments on behalf of evil, one utters the creed’s dictums with nostalgia rather than with fervor (Joseph Brodsky Quotes)

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