Joseph Joubert Quotes

There would not be so much harm in the giddy following the fashions, if somehow the wise could always set them.

We ought always to conform to the manners of the greater number, and so behave as not to draw attention to ourselves. Excess either way shocks, and every man truly wise ought to attend to this in his dress as well as language, never to be affected in anything and follow without being in too great haste the changes of fashion.

In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold; Alike fantastic, if too new, or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

I don't go looking for new fads.

A man who doesn't think differently from his time and environment can't grow beyond his time and environment.

A traveler of taste will notice that the wise are polite all over the world, but the fool only at home.

Just because something is traditional is no reason to do it, of course.

The wise man should withdraw his soul within, out of the crowd, and keep it in freedom and power to judge things freely; but as for externals, he should wholly follow the accepted fashions and forms.

... if it were the fashion to go naked, the face would be hardly observed.

Style disdains comfort and is always ready to sacrifice virtue.

It is not always wise to appear singular.

Fashion is custom in the guise of departure from custom

I think something happens with age. And I find this really a lot in what I read from certain art critics: For people who are all about change-people who are supposed to be intellectually and culturally drawn to the idea of change and how the voice of a creative person affects the world on a bigger scale than just the canvas-I would expect a person in that position to have that open mind. It's only a sign of age that they become so locked in their own rules that they forget that this is what it's all about.

New customs, Though they be never so ridiculous (Nay, let em be unmanly), yet are followed.

Laughter tends to mock the pompous and the pretentious; all man's boastful gadding about, all his pretty pomps, his hoary customs, his wornout creeds, changing the glitter of them into the dullest hue of lead.

Rivalry causes us to overemphasize old opportunities and slavishly copy what has worked in the past.

The world runs on from one folly to another; and the man who, solely from regard to the opinion of others, and without any wish or necessity of his own, toils after gold, honour, or any other phantom, is no better than a fool.

In all superstition wise men follow fools.

O what pride, conforming to the world and following its fashions! Warn them, warn them for me, while you have strength and time and be faithful to your duty.

In order to keep up with the rapid evolution of the sport, you've got to keep an open mind.

He never said a foolish thing nor never did a wise one.

When a wise man does not understand, he says: "I do not understand." The fool and the uncultured are ashamed of their ignorance. They remain silent when a question could bring them wisdom.

When truth presents itself, the wise person see the light, takes it in, and makes adjustments. The fool tries to adjust the truth so he does not have to adjust to it.

Custom is the law of fools.