A white lie is always pardonable. But he who tells the truth without compulsion merits no leniency. Karl Kraus More Quotes by Karl Kraus More Quotes From Karl Kraus The secret of the demagogue is to make himself as stupid as his audience so they believe they are clever as he. Karl Kraus stupid clever funny The devil is an optimist if he thinks he can make people worse than they are. Karl Kraus devil people thinking Solitude would be ideal if you could pick the people to avoid. Karl Kraus solitude would-be people Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. Karl Kraus moral-corruption literature country Since the law prohibits the keeping of wild animals and I get no enjoyment from pets, I prefer to remain unmarried. Karl Kraus marriage law animal Intercourse with a woman is sometimes a satisfactory substitute for masturbation. But it takes a lot of imagination to make it work. Karl Kraus imagination literature work A weak man has doubts before a decision; a strong man has them afterwards. Karl Kraus strong success motivational When a culture feels that its end has come, it sends for a priest. Karl Kraus atheism society religion How do wars start? Diplomats tell lies to journalists, then believe what they read. Karl Kraus war believe lying Journalist: a person without any ideas but with an ability to express them; a writer whose skill is improved by a deadline: the more time he has, the worse he writes. Karl Kraus skills writing ideas Moral responsibility is what is lacking in a man when he demands it of a woman. Karl Kraus demand responsibility men The heroes of obtrusiveness, people with whom no soldier would lie down in the trenches, though he has to submit to being interviewed by them, break into recently abandoned royal castles so that they can report, "We got there first!" It would be far less shameful to be paid for committing atrocities than for fabricating them. Karl Kraus hero lying people Democracy means the opportunity to be everyone's slave. Karl Kraus democracy opportunity mean Where do I find the time for not reading so many books? Karl Kraus reading time book A philistine is habitually bored and looks for things that won't bore him. An artist finds things boring, but is never bored. Karl Kraus boredom looks art Language is the mother of thought, not its handmaiden. Karl Kraus language mother The sound principle of a topsy-turvy lifestyle in the framework of an upside-down world order has stood every test. Karl Kraus sound life order Insights into erotic life belong to art, not education. But sometimes these have to be spelled out for the illiterates. And it ismainly a matter of convincing the illiterates, for they are the ones who write the penal code. Karl Kraus erotic writing art If something is stolen from you, don't go to the police. They're not interested. Don't go to a psychologist either, because he's interested in only one thing: that it was really you who did the stealing. Karl Kraus psychologist stealing police So-called psychoanalysis is the occupation of lustful rationalists who trace everything in the world to sexual causes--with the exception of their occupation. Karl Kraus occupation causes world
