She had a dour Presbyterian mind and a code of morals that pinned down and beat the brains out of nearly everything that was pleasant to do. John Steinbeck More Quotes by John Steinbeck More Quotes From John Steinbeck It has always seemed strange to me... the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second. John Steinbeck wisdomappreciationlove Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires. John Steinbeck usarootsamerica Books are the best friends you can have; they inform you, and entertain you, and they don't talk back. John Steinbeck friendshipbook When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you've got two new people. John Steinbeck changedtwopeople There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you — of kindness and consideration and respect — not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had. John Steinbeck selfishkindnessmean Don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens - The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away. John Steinbeck heartbrokenbroken-heartlove Somewhere in the world there is a defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed by defeat, and some made small and mean by victory. Greatness lives in one who triumphs equally over defeat and victory. John Steinbeck victorygreatnessmean The free exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. John Steinbeck i-hate-youfreedomeden And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. John Steinbeck freedominspirationalbelieve Only mediocrity escapes criticism. John Steinbeck mediocritycriticismlife If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck. John Steinbeck finding-yourselffightingmilitary All great and precious things are lonely. John Steinbeck being-alonelonelyloneliness I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible. John Steinbeck strong-womenbeing-strongbelieve And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good. John Steinbeck i-hate-youencouragementinspiring You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself. John Steinbeck empathyfeelspeople I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. John Steinbeck educationteacherinspirational To be alive at all is to have scars. John Steinbeck scaralive What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. John Steinbeck summerwinterweather It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him. John Steinbeck motivationalpositivelife A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it. John Steinbeck marriageadventuretravel
