Giving Quote by Ambrose Bierce

“Something that is supposed to typify or stand for something else. Many symbols are mere "survivals" - as funereal urns carved on memorial monuments. We cannot stop making them, but we can give them a name that conceals our helplessness.”

Ambrose Bierce

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Giving Helplessness Memorial Mere Monument Names Stand for something Survival Symbols

More by Ambrose Bierce

OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…

Ambrose Bierce

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DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.

Ambrose Bierce

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IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…

Ambrose Bierce

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REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…

Ambrose Bierce

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CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…

Ambrose Bierce

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RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.

Ambrose Bierce

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There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.

Ambrose Bierce

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Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.

Ambrose Bierce

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WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.

Ambrose Bierce

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Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.

Ambrose Bierce

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RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…

Ambrose Bierce

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Think twice before you speak to a friend in need

Ambrose Bierce

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Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes

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The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…

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True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.

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Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.

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