I can't be a pessimist, because I am alive. James A. Baldwin More Quotes by James A. Baldwin More Quotes From James A. Baldwin Nakedness has no color: this can come as news only to those who have never covered, or been covered by, another naked human being. James A. Baldwin color inspirational sex Voyagers discover that the world can never be larger than the person that is in the world; but it is impossible to foresee this, it is impossible to be warned. James A. Baldwin war world travel The question of sexual dominance can exist only in the nightmare of that soul which has armed itself, totally, against the possibility of the changing motion of conquest and surrender, which is love. James A. Baldwin dominance soul love Life is tragic simply because the earth turns and the sun inexorably rises and sets, and one day, for each of us, the sun will go down for the last, last time. James A. Baldwin one-day lasts earth The questions which one asks oneself begin, at least, to illuminate the world, and become one's key to the experience of others. James A. Baldwin diversity keys literature Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it. James A. Baldwin literature truth roots I want to be an honest man and a good writer. James A. Baldwin honesty literature men Passion is not friendly. It is arrogant, superbly contemptuous of all that is not itself, and, as they very definition of passion implies the impulse to freedom, it has a might intimidiating power. It contains a challenge. It contains an unspeakable hope. James A. Baldwin passion challenges friendly There is a fearful splendor in absolute desolation. James A. Baldwin fearful splendor desolation Recognizing a problem doesn't always bring a solution, but until we recognize that problem, there can be no solution. James A. Baldwin recognizing forgiveness problem European society has always been divided into classes in a way that American society never has been. A European writer considers himself to be part of an old and honorable tradition--of intellectual activity, of letters--and his choice of a vocation does not cause him any uneasy wonder as to whether or not it will cost him all his friends. But this tradition does not exist in America. James A. Baldwin choices class america At bottom, to be colored means that one has been caught in some utterly unbelievable cosmic joke, a joke so hideous and in such bad taste that it defeats all categories and definitions. James A. Baldwin taste race mean Americans should never come to Europe,' she said, and tried to laugh and began to cry, 'it means they never can be happy again. What's the good of an American who isn't happy? Happiness was all we had. James A. Baldwin europe laughing mean I prefer sinners and madmen, who can learn, who can change, who can teach-or people like myself, if I may say so, who are not afraid to eat a lobster alone as they take on their shoulders the monumental weight of thirty years James A. Baldwin people lobster years The determination to outwit one's situation means that one has no models, only object lessons. James A. Baldwin lessons determination mean Those kids aren't dumb. But the people who run these schools want to make sure they don't get smart: they are really teaching the kids to be slaves. James A. Baldwin smart teaching running It is impossible to pretend that you are not heir to, and therefore, however inadequately or unwillingly, responsible to, and for, the time and place that give you life -- without becoming, at very best, a dangerously disoriented human being. James A. Baldwin heirs becoming giving To hold in the mind forever two ideas which seemed to be in opposition. The first . . . acceptance totally without rancor, of life as it is, and men as they are [;] . . . the second . . . that one must never, in one's life, accept . . . injustices as commonplace but must fight them with all one's strength. James A. Baldwin fighting acceptance men Man cannot live by profit alone. James A. Baldwin profit live-by men No man is a devil in his own mind. James A. Baldwin devil mind men
