For a writer only one form of patriotism exists: his attitude toward language. Joseph Brodsky More Quotes by Joseph Brodsky More Quotes From Joseph Brodsky Were we to choose our leaders on the basis of their reading experience and not their political programs, there would be much less grief on earth. I believe ... that for someone who has read a lot of Dickens to shoot his like in the name of an idea is harder than for someone who has read no Dickens. Joseph Brodsky grief reading believe How delightful to find a friend in everyone. Joseph Brodsky delight friendship people For darkness restores what light cannot repair. Joseph Brodsky criminal-mind light darkness There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them. Joseph Brodsky reading education book 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 evil happiness thinking 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 failing body eye 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 goal animal art The moment that you place blame somewhere, you undermine your resolve to change anything. Joseph Brodsky resolve blame moments I sit in the dark. And it would be hard to figure out Joseph Brodsky figures would-be dark I do not believe in political movements. I believe in personal movement, that movement of the soul when a man who looks at himself is so ashamed that he tries to make some sort of change - within himself, not on the outside. Joseph Brodsky change men believe Creativity is an unending exercise in uncertainty. Joseph Brodsky unending creativity exercise 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 perspective language humility When I'm not writing or reading, I'm thinking about both. Joseph Brodsky reading writing thinking Life—the way it really is—is a battle not between good and bad, but between bad and worse Joseph Brodsky good-and-bad battle way Poetry is what is gained in translation. Joseph Brodsky translations poetry-is Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family. Even your super weirdo creep cousin. Joseph Brodsky relatives-and-friends cousin appreciation 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 winning book dirty 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 boredom infinity trying Geography blended with time equals destiny. Joseph Brodsky geography destiny land A man should know about himself two or three things: whether he is a coward; whether he is an honest man or given to lies; whether he is an ambitious man. One should define oneself first of all in those terms, and only then in terms of culture, race, creed. Joseph Brodsky race men lying
