Frasi di Lin Yutang

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“Tutti dovrebbero prendere l'abitudine della non lettura… alzando ogni tanto gli occhi dal libro e pensando a quello che hanno letto. Se non lo hanno capito, lo rileggano. Se ancora non lo capiscono posino il libro e cerchino la risposta in un altro. È ciò che io definisco «lettura attiva.»”

“Una donna poteva ben dimenticare la rispettabilità, quando il suo istinto femminile veniva destato.”

“I sovrani migliori hanno avuto donne nelle proprie vite. Perché una regina non dovrebbe potersi sollazzare un proprio damo?”

“One can learn such a lot and enjoy such a lot in seventy years, and three generations is a long, long time to see human follies and acquire human wisdom. Anyone who is wise and has lived long enough to witness the changes of fashion and morals and politics through the rise and fall of three generations should be perfectly satisfied to rise from his seat and go away saying, "It was a good show," when the curtain falls.”

“Such is human psychology that if we don't express our joy, we soon cease to feel it. ”

“True peace of mind comes from accepting the worst.”

“What is patriotism but love of the good things we ate in our childhood? I have said elsewhere that the loyalty to Uncle Sam is the loyalty to doughnuts and ham and sweet potatoes and the loyalty to the German Vaterland is the loyalty to Pfannkuchen and Christmas Stollen.”

“My faith in human dignity consists in the belief that man is the greatest scamp on earth. Human dignity must be associated with the idea of a scamp and not with that of an obedient, disciplined and regimented soldier.”

“I have done my best: that is about all the philosophy of living one needs.”