---
title: "1 Ordinary Modes Quotes By John Derbyshire"
description: "1 Ordinary Modes quotes by John Derbyshire. Plus more from John Derbyshire and more Ordinary Modes sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/991/john-derbyshire-20276_nature-of-man_the-ordinary-modes-of-human-thinking-are_2290117.png"
---

> [“The ordinary modes of human thinking are magical, religious, social, and personal. We want our wishes to come true; we want the universe to care about us; we want the approval of those around us; we want to get even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/the-ordinary-modes-of-human-thinking-are-magical-religious-social-and/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/991/john-derbyshire-20276_nature-of-man_the-ordinary-modes-of-human-thinking-are_2290117.png)

## More by John Derbyshire

> [Wherever there is a jackboot stomping on a human face there will be a well-heeled Western liberal to explain that the face does, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/wherever-there-is-a-jackboot-stomping-on-a-human-face-there-will-be-a/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Conservatism is pessimistic, with a negative tendency - which we mostly resist - towards despair. Liberals are optimists, with a negative tendency, rarely resisted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/conservatism-is-pessimistic-with-a-negative-tendency-which-we-mostly/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Nonmathematical people sometimes ask me, “You know math, huh? Tell me something I’ve always wondered, What is infinity divided by infinity?” I can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/nonmathematical-people-sometimes-ask-me-you-know-math-huh-tell-me/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [I tell you, with complex numbers you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/i-tell-you-with-complex-numbers-you-can-do-anything/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“The arts and humanities are not mere entertainment, to be turned to for relaxation after a busy day spent solving differential equations; they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/the-arts-and-humanities-are-not-mere-entertainment-to-be-turned-to/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Biophobia is as much a part of a politician's basic equipment as a sharp suit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/biophobia-is-as-much-a-part-of-a-politician-s-basic-equipment-as-a/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [In matters editorial, I am a believer in totalitarian despotism. Most writers are lazy, difficult, selfish, thoughtless, and unreliable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/in-matters-editorial-i-am-a-believer-in-totalitarian-despotism-most/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [I never ponder counterfactuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/i-never-ponder-counterfactuals/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“Ninety percent of paid work is time-wasting crap. The world gets by on the other ten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/ninety-percent-of-paid-work-is-time-wasting-crap-the-world-gets-by-on/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [The job of conservatives is to keep the Republican Party driving on the right-hand side of the road. There are many ways we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/the-job-of-conservatives-is-to-keep-the-republican-party-driving-on/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [Education is a vast sea of lies, waste, corruption, crackpot theorizing, and careerist log-rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/education-is-a-vast-sea-of-lies-waste-corruption-crackpot-theorizing/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“A very civilized thing, glass—almost an index of civilization. When civilization retreats, it leaves behind broken glass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/a-very-civilized-thing-glass-almost-an-index-of-civilization-when/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“As a result of these news stories, millions of people must have become aware of "niggardly," who otherwise would never have heard it, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/as-a-result-of-these-news-stories-millions-of-people-must-have-become/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [ He \[Mencken\] was an autodidact, with all the misplaced confidence and all the astonishing gaps that characterize that breed. Not many of us would… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/he-mencken-was-an-autodidact-with-all-the-misplaced-confidence-and/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

> [“Our political system is now run by the Big People for their own interests. If they ever deign to notice the Little People, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-derbyshire/our-political-system-is-now-run-by-the-big-people-for-their-own/)

[John Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-derbyshire/)

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