"I never concern myself with the butcher because I am a vegetarian."
This quote by Heywood Broun emphasizes personal responsibility and individual choices. By being a vegetarian, one separates themselves from participating in an industry (in this case, meat production) that they find morally or ethically unacceptable. The quote suggests that if you don't support or engage with something, there's no need to be concerned about it or the people involved in it. In essence, this is a call for individuals to align their actions with their values and beliefs, and to disassociate themselves from practices they find objectionable.
"A journalist is just a person who has figured out how to use a typewriter in public."
This quote by Heywood Broun suggests that a journalist is not necessarily someone with extraordinary knowledge or skills, but rather an individual who can effectively communicate information to the public using writing tools such as a typewriter (or nowadays, a computer). It emphasizes the accessibility and transparency of journalism in sharing news and insights with the broader audience.
"There are no good war stories. There are only good love stories and all the rest are war stories."
This quote by Heywood Broun suggests that wars, in essence, are not inherently "good" or worth celebrating. Instead, they are just tales of conflict and destruction. The "good" stories lie within love narratives - accounts of connection, growth, and human relationships. All other war stories, regardless of their portrayal, serve as reminders of the horrors and tragedies that war inflicts on humanity.
"Man is a reasonable creature that can be counted on to upset all your calculations by being unreasonable and acting in accordance with the dictates of his own irrational and inscrutable mind."
Heywood Broun's quote highlights the inherent unpredictability of human behavior due to our ability to act against reason and logic, guided instead by our personal emotions, instincts, or intuition. This quote suggests that even when making predictions about people based on rational analysis, it is essential to consider the irrational and inscrutable aspects of their mind as these factors can significantly influence their actions, often leading to outcomes that deviate from what was originally calculated or anticipated.
"Idealism is the obscure desire to be something you are not, and to live up to an ideal that you have no intention of realizing."
This quote by Heywood Broun suggests a subtle contradiction in the pursuit of ideals. On one hand, an "ideal" represents an aspiration or a lofty standard that serves as a guiding principle. On the other hand, the phrase "obscure desire to be something you are not" implies a lack of authenticity or sincerity in striving towards this ideal. In essence, Heywood Broun is stating that there can sometimes be a disconnect between our stated ideals and our true intentions, suggesting a superficial engagement with the very principles we claim to uphold. The quote invites us to reflect on the purpose of our pursuit of ideals and the consistency between what we aspire to and how we live our lives.
We are under no delusions as to the innate goodness even of very small children. They are bad a great deal of the time, but before it has been knocked out of them, they see no limit to the potentialities of the human will. Theirs is the faith to move mountains, because they do not yet know the fearful heft of them.
- Heywood Broun
Every now and then, we hear parents commenting on the fearful things which motion pictures may do to the minds of children. They seem to think that a little child is full of sweetness and of light. We had the same notion until we had a chance to listen intently to the prattle of a three-year-old.
- Heywood Broun
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