It is impossible to abolish either with a law or an axe the desires of men. Walter Lippmann More Quotes by Walter Lippmann More Quotes From Walter Lippmann And the principle which distinguishes democracy from all other forms of government is that in a democracy the opposition not only is tolerated as constitutional but must be maintained because it is in fact indispensable. Walter Lippmann democracylibertygovernment The common interests very largely elude public opinion entirely, and can be managed only by a specialised class. Walter Lippmann eludepublic-opinionclass A man who has humility will have acquired in the last reaches of his beliefs the saving doubt of his own certainty. Walter Lippmann pridehumilitymen Nothing is easier than to simplify life and them make a philosophy about it. The trouble is that the resulting philosophy is true only of that simplified life. Walter Lippmann troublephilosophylife The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense. Walter Lippmann opponentshurtwise The self-evident truth which makes men invincible is that inalienably they are inviolable persons. Walter Lippmann invincibleselfmen What we call a democratic society might be defined for certain purposes as one in which the majority is always prepared to put down a revolutionary minority. Walter Lippmann hymnsmajorityminorities In government offices which are sensitive to the vehemence and passion of mass sentiment public men have no sure tenure. They are in effect perpetual office seekers, always on trial for their political lives, always required to court their restless constituents. Walter Lippmann passionofficemen A really good diplomat does not go in for victories, even when he wins them. Walter Lippmann victorywinningsuccess Every man whose business it is to think knows that he must for part of the day create about himself a pool of silence. Walter Lippmann silencementhinking Our conscience is not the vessel of eternal verities. It grows with our social life, and a new social condition means a radical change in conscience. Walter Lippmann changesocialmean Many a time I have wanted to stop talking and find out what I really believed. Walter Lippmann thoughtfultalkinglife Politicians tend to live "in character" and many a public figure has come to imitate the journalism that describes him. Walter Lippmann journalismpoliticscharacter To keep a faith pure, man had better retire to a monastery. Walter Lippmann monasteriesretiringmen It is at the cross-roads that skepticism is born, not in a hermitage. Walter Lippmann skepticismborncrosses There is no arguing with the pretenders to a divine knowledge and to a divine mission. They are possessed with the sin of pride, they have yielded to the perennial temptation. Walter Lippmann pridetemptationarguing Lovers who have nothing to do but love each other are not really to be envied; love and nothing else very soon is nothing else. Walter Lippmann love-each-otherloverslove The function of news is to signalize an event, the functionoftruth istobring to lightthehiddenfacts, toset them into relationwith each other, and make a picture of reality on which men can act.Only at those points, where social conditions take recognizable and measurable shape, do the body of truth and the body of news coincide. Walter Lippmann eventsmenreality Unless our ideas are questioned, they become part of the furniture of eternity. Walter Lippmann furnitureeternityideas Every fairly intelligent person is aware that the price of respectability is a muffled soul bent on the trivial and the mediocre. Walter Lippmann bentintelligentsoul
