Art is not a democracy, in fact art is the enemy of democracy Gore Vidal More Quotes by Gore Vidal More Quotes From Gore Vidal Private lives should be no business of the State. The State is bad enough as it is. It cannot educate or medicate or feed the people; it cannot do anything but kill the people. No State like that do we want prying into our private lives. Gore Vidal enoughwantpeople That famous writer’s block is a myth as far as I’m concerned. I think bad writers must have a great difficulty writing. They don’t want to do it. They have become writers out of reasons of ambition. It must be a great strain to them to make marks on a page when they really have nothing much to say, and don’t enjoy doing it. I’m not so sure what I have to say but I certainly enjoy making sentences. Gore Vidal blockambitionwriting Every four years the naive half who vote are encouraged to believe that if we can elect a really nice man or woman President everything will be all right. But it won't be. Gore Vidal nicemenbelieve Religions are manipulated in order to serve those who govern society and not the other way around. Gore Vidal orderway If you're a critic of the rulers of the United States, you are either demonized, or you are trivialized by the press, and they do a very good job of making you into a non-person or a ridiculous person. Gore Vidal ridiculousunited-statesjobs The greatest pleasure when I started making money was not buying cars or yachts but finding myself able to have as many freshly typed drafts as possible. Gore Vidal finding-the-onecarliterature Of course, it is possible for any citizen with time to spare, and a canny eye, to work out what is actually going on, but for the many there is not time, and the network news is the only news even though it may not be news at all but only a series of flashing fictions. Gore Vidal work-outmediaeye Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. In politics, to be liberal is to want to extend democracy through change and reform. One can see why that word had to be erased from our political lexicon. Gore Vidal latinmenmean Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little. Gore Vidal dreamlittleslove There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise. Gore Vidal personalityinspirationalpeople One is sorry one could not have taken both branches of the road. But we were not allotted multiple selves. Gore Vidal takenselfsorry Some writers take to drink, others take to audiences. Gore Vidal bedtimealcoholwriting Traitors who prevail are patriots; usurpers who succeed are divine emperors. Gore Vidal usurperspatriotsucceed I believe there's something very salutary in, say, beating up a gay-bashing policeman. Preferably one fights through the courts, through the laws, through education, but if at a neighborhood level violence is necessary, I'm all for violence. It's the only thing Americans understand. Gore Vidal gayfightingbelieve In the First Amendment to the Constitution, the Founders made it clear that this was not to be a sky-god nation with a national religion like that of England, from whom we had just separated. It is curious how little understood this amendment is-yes, everyone has a right to worship any god he chooses but he does not have the right to impose his beliefs on others who do not happen to share in his superstitions and taboos. Gore Vidal doeskyreligion There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt - until recently... and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties. Gore Vidal partywingshands The American press exists for one purpose only, and that is to convince Americans that they are living in the greatest and most envied country in the history of the world. The Press tells the American people how awful every other country is and how wonderful the United States is and how evil communism is and how happy they should be to have freedom to buy seven different sorts of detergent. Gore Vidal evilcountrypeople Write what you know will always be excellent advice for those who ought not to write at all. Write what you think, what you imagine, what you suspect! Gore Vidal writingadvicethinking Democracy is something America has never really practiced. Because the Founding Fathers hated two things: monarchy and democracy. They wanted a republic, a replica of the Roman or Venetian republics. They didn't even like the etymology of the word "democracy." Gore Vidal twofatheramerica Never offend an enemy in a small way. Gore Vidal enemyway
