What concerns me alone I only think, what concerns my…

What concerns me alone I only think, what concerns my friends I tell them, what can be of interest to only a limited public I write, and what the world ought to know is printed…

Sourced, Aphorisms (1765-1799)

B 52

Other Georg Christoph Lichtenberg Quotes

Before one blames, one should always find out whether one cannot excuse. To discover little faults has been always the particularity of such brains that are a little or not at all above the average. The superior ones keep quiet or say something against the whole and the great minds transform without blaming. - View Quote Details on Before one blames, one should always find out whether one…
We often have need of a profound philosophy to restore to our feelings their original state of innocence, to find our way out of the rubble of things alien to us, to begin to feel for ourselves and to speak ourselves, and I might almost say to exist ourselves. Even if my philosophy does not extend to discovering anything new, it does nevertheless possess the courage to regard as questionable what has long been thought true. - View Quote Details on We often have need of a profound philosophy to restore…
A schoolteacher or professor cannot educate individuals, he educates only species. - View Quote Details on A schoolteacher or professor cannot educate individuals, he educates only…
We may use Lichtenberg’s writings as the most wonderful dowsing rod: wherever he makes a joke, there a problem lies hidden. - View Quote Details on We may use Lichtenberg’s writings as the most wonderful dowsing…
To receive applause for works which do not demand all our powers hinders our advance towards a perfecting of our spirit. It usually means that thereafter we stand still. - View Quote Details on To receive applause for works which do not demand all…
Theologians always try to turn the Bible into a book without common sense. - View Quote Details on Theologians always try to turn the Bible into a book…
Prejudices are so to speak the mechanical instincts of men: through their prejudices they do without any effort many things they would find too difficult to think through to the point of resolving to do them. - View Quote Details on Prejudices are so to speak the mechanical instincts of men:…
Many things about our bodies would not seem to us so filthy and obscene if we did not have the idea of nobility in our heads. - View Quote Details on Many things about our bodies would not seem to us…
You must not allow your reading to dominate you but you should dominate your reading. - View Quote Details on You must not allow your reading to dominate you but…
Erudition can produce foliage without bearing fruit. - View Quote Details on Erudition can produce foliage without bearing fruit.