An unexamined idea, to paraphrase Socrates, is not worth having and a society whose ideas are never explored for possible error may eventually find its foundations insecure. Mark Van Doren More Quotes by Mark Van Doren More Quotes From Mark Van Doren There is no appeal from the ways of the world, which must continue on its own terms or take us all down with it into chaos and confusion. Mark Van Doren society confusion world Wit is the only wall between us and the dark. Mark Van Doren wall wisdom wise Weightless in water, swift as the wind, Subtle of purpose - a feather blown - I go with my oarsmen where they will, My beautiful body and theirs all one. Mark Van Doren beautiful wind water To be what no one ever was, to be what everyone has been: Freedom is the mean of those extremes that fence all effort in. Mark Van Doren effort freedom mean I love the fall. I love it because of the smells that you speak of; and also because things are dying, things that you don't have to take care of anymore, and the grass stops growing. Mark Van Doren love death fall The genius of the Marx Brothers is for parody. They never are themselves. They exist too abundantly to be content with being that - they must go on, by the rapidest of transitions, to being something else. Groucho, in my opinion the bright star among the three, is never anything but the thing he is at the moment pretending to be. Mark Van Doren never moment opinion genius
