Quotes

Today, I'd like to share some of my favourite inspiring quotes with you. The thing about a good quote is that it has to be succinct, direct, and ultimately strike you as the truth. In everything from speeches to song lyrics, there are lines and phrases that grab hold of me and drag me to another place - often one of clarity and inspiration, but sometimes quite the opposite. I'll try to explain why I love each quote as we go along.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" 

- Albert Einstein

I often list Einstein among my favourite people of all time, and for good reason. Not only was he quite possibly the greatest physicist of the 20th century, but he was also a campaigner for human rights, equality and education. You need only look at his Wikipedia page to see just how much he contributed to the world of science. His most famous work is surely the E=mc^2 equation, which states that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content. I do feel that imagination is more important than knowledge, but it took this quote to help me realise it - you can know everything in the world, but without imagination, you can't dream of what to do with that knowledge.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" 

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I've always held the ideals of equality close to my heart, and MLK is possibly the finest example of a modern human rights leader as you're likely to find. His speeches were utterly intoxicating, and I could give you several fantastic quotes from him that have inspired me in the past. I think his assassination was ultimately, not such a bad thing; he became such a powerful symbol in death, more so than he ever could have in life.

"A conservative is a man who believes nothing should be done for the first time"

- Alfred E. Wiggam

I am strongly opposed to conservatism in all of its forms, and this quote beautifully sums up my feelings about those who wish to 'conserve' whatever ideal they promote - whether it is a return to an older system or way of life or maintaining things as they are and opposing progress on principle. The state of the world now and in the past is a shocking, horrible mess, unfair and unjust - to keep it the same or send it backwards, is, in my view, to remove basic freedoms and securities that people need in order to survive. Progress is a positive thing, always - to work towards a goal, to improve and grow, is surely the natural desire of all living things - to conserve and regress is to stunt, limit and wither.

"To laugh often and much; to win respect of intelligent people and the affection of children... to leave the world a better place... to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote pretty much sums up my entire philosophy on life. Success cannot be measured by how much money you earn or how many fans you acquire, but by the positive impact you have made on other people's lives - to be remembered fondly is the greatest achievement that I can imagine.

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."


"You must be the change you want to see in the world."


"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Three epic quotes from one epic person. They speak of personal responsibility, the reality of an individual's limited effect on the world, but the huge effect he will have on those around him, the dangers of hypocrisy and the hopeful, beautiful idea that all bad things come to an end.

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

- Steve Jobs

Say what you like about his company, Apple, but Jobs himself was a rather brilliant man, and I know he will be missed.