“
Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.
”
”
Elbert Hubbard (The Roycroft Dictionary Concocted By Ali Baba And The Bunch On Rainy Days (1914))
“
The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.
”
”
Vince Lombardi
“
Christian, n.: one who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.
”
”
Ambrose Bierce (The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary)
“
Hash, x. There is no definition for this word - nobody knows what hash is.
Famous, adj. Conspicuously miserable.
Dictionary, n. A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic. This dictionary, however, is a most useful work.
”
”
Ambrose Bierce (The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary)
“
If you opened the dictionary and searched for the meaning of a Goddess, you would find the reflection of a dancing lady.
”
”
Shah Asad Rizvi
“
It has been observed
that one's nose is never so happy as when thrust into the affairs of
others from which some physiologists have drawn the inference that
the nose is devoid of the sense of smell.
”
”
Ambrose Bierce (The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary)
“
INCEST, n. In many parts of the Bible Belt, the most popular form of dating
”
”
Charles Bufe (The Devil's Dictionaries: The Best of the Devil's Dictionary & the American Heretic's Dictionary)
“
In the sixteenth century in England, dictionaries such as we would recognize today simply did not exist. If the language that so inspired Shakespeare had limits, if its words had definable origins, spellings, pronunciations, meanings—then no single book existed that established them, defined them, and set them down.
”
”
Simon Winchester (The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary)
“
A funeral is supposed to be a way to say goodbye. You look inside yourself and find a place to put your grief, not somewhere hidden, not the top shelf or the back of a cupboard, but maybe by a window, where it can catch the light.
”
”
Beth Lincoln (A Dictionary of Scoundrels (The Swifts #1))
“
Forward movement is not helpful if what is needed is a change of direction.
”
”
David Fleming (Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It)
“
I believe in the simple things--the classic beginning of once upon a time, that good conquers evil in the end, fantasy and fate. My life is that of wondrous enchantment, a place of endless possibilities and dreams, where inspiration is found in the oddest of places. I aspire to inspire, and someday I will change the world,
”
”
Andrew Kendall (The Dark Dictionary: A Guide to Help Eradicate Your Darkness, Restore Your Light, and Redefine Your Life.)
“
In the absence of a formally agreed, worldwide dictionary definition of 'Quotography' (in 2016), here are my two cents worth: 'Quotography is the art of pairing unique quotations with complementary images in order to express thought-provoking ideas, challenging concepts, profound sentiments'.
”
”
Alex Morritt (Lines & Lenses)
“
Impossible is in the dictionary of fools
”
”
Napoléon Bonaparte
“
Localisation stands, at best, at the limits of practical possibility, but it has the decisive argument in its favour that there will be no alternative.
”
”
David Fleming (Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It)
“
Sanskrit is a beautiful contextual language. It is called “Dev Bhasha” the language of the soul. Here, meanings of the words must come from the heart, from direct experience – dictionary meanings or static meanings have not much value. Meanings of the words vary depending on mind-set, time, location and culture. The words are made to expand the possibilities of the mind.
”
”
Amit Ray (Yoga The Science of Well-Being)
“
Survivors don't allow the word QUIT in their dictionary because they know the art of staying positive in any kind of negative situation."
"BE A SURVIVOR
”
”
Dipika Agarwal (The Better Side - 16 Positive Attributes To Lead A Better Life)
“
Wipe those tears, as they have cleansed your soul.
”
”
Sharlene Leong (inspired by love: Love is a dictionary full of everything)
“
Words of our hearts have their own dictionary
”
”
Munia Khan
Kathy Collins (200 Motivational and inspirational Quotes That Will Inspire Your Success)
“
The true church is not made of creeds and forms, nor is it contained in walls of wood and stone; the heart of man is its temple and the Spirit of truth is the one guide into all Truth. When men learn to turn within to the Spirit of truth, who is in each one for his light and inspiration, the differences between the churches of man will be eliminated, and the one church will be recognized.
”
”
Charles Fillmore (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary (Unabridged Start Publishing LLC))
“
In the dictionary the word “idea” is categorized as a noun. But “idea” should really be a verb, because an idea does not actually exist until you turn your inspiration into action. I should know. I’ve had plenty of ideas but acted on few of them.
”
”
Jeff Haden (The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win)
“
I have scarcely heard of a truer sacrament, that is, as the dictionary defines it, "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace," than this, and I have no doubt that they were originally inspired directly from Heaven to do thus, though they have no Biblical record of the revelation.
”
”
Henry David Thoreau (Walden)
“
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
”
”
Vince Lombardi
“
We have control on every word of the dictionary except for the 2:; "Death" and "Heart
”
”
Nikita Tak (The First SIp Of My Morning Coffee)
“
If you define yourself by your past, you are using the wrong dictionary.
”
”
Matshona Dhliwayo
“
Define yourself; you have the monopoly on your life’s dictionary.
”
”
Matshona Dhliwayo
“
The only place you will find love before sacrifice is in the dictionary.
”
”
Matshona Dhliwayo
“
CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.
”
”
Ambrose Bierce (The Devil's Dictionary)
“
Giving up should NOT be part of your dictionary.
”
”
Jawo
“
KORAN, n. A book which the Mohammedans foolishly believe to have been written by divine inspiration, but which Christians know to be a wicked imposture, contradictory to the Holy Scriptures.
”
”
Ambrose Bierce (The Devil's Dictionary)
“
Since 1849 I have studied incessantly, under all its aspects, a question which was already in my mind since 1832. I confess that my scheme is still a mere dream, and I do not shut my eyes to the fact that so long as I alone believe it to be possible, it is virtually impossible. ... The scheme in question is the cutting of a canal through the Isthmus of Suez. This has been thought of from the earliest historical times, and for that very reason is looked upon as impracticable. Geographical dictionaries inform us indeed that the project would have been executed long ago but for insurmountable obstacles. [On his inspiration for the Suez Canal.]
”
”
Ferdinand de Lesseps
“
23 Emotions people feel, but can’t explain
1. Sonder: The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.
2. Opia: The ambiguous intensity of Looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.
3. Monachopsis: The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.
4. Énouement: The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.
5. Vellichor: The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.
6. Rubatosis: The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.
7. Kenopsia: The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.
8. Mauerbauertraurigkeit: The inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends who you really like.
9. Jouska: A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.
10. Chrysalism: The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.
11. Vemödalen: The frustration of photographic something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist.
12. Anecdoche: A conversation in which everyone is talking, but nobody is listening
13. Ellipsism: A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.
14. Kuebiko: A state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence.
15. Lachesism: The desire to be struck by disaster – to survive a plane crash, or to lose everything in a fire.
16. Exulansis: The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it.
17. Adronitis: Frustration with how long it takes to get to know someone.
18. Rückkehrunruhe: The feeling of returning home after an immersive trip only to find it fading rapidly from your awareness.
19. Nodus Tollens: The realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore.
20. Onism: The frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at a time.
21. Liberosis: The desire to care less about things.
22. Altschmerz: Weariness with the same old issues that you’ve always had – the same boring flaws and anxieties that you’ve been gnawing on for years.
23. Occhiolism: The awareness of the smallness of your perspective.
John Koenig, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows (Simon & Schuster, November 16, 2021)
”
”
John Koenig (The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows)
“
Bondmaid. It came back to me then, and I realized that the words most often used to define us were words that describe our function in relation to others. Even the most benign words - maiden, wife, mother - told the world whether we were virgins or not. What was the male equivalent of maiden? I could not think of it. What was the male equivalent of Mrs., of whore, of common scold? I looked out the window towards the scriptorium, the place where the definitions of all these words were being bedded down. Which words would define me? Which would be used to judge or contain? I was no maiden, yet I was no man’s wife. And I had no desire to be.
”
”
Pip Williams (The Dictionary of Lost Words)
“
Literately’ was used in a novel by Elizabeth Griffiths. While no other examples of use have been forthcoming, it is, in my opinion, an elegant extension of ‘literate’. Dr. Murray agreed I should write an entry for the Dictionary, but I have since been told it is unlikely to be included. It seems our lady author has not proved herself a ‘literata’- an abomination of a word coined by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that refers to a ‘literary lady’. It too has only one example of use, but its inclusion is assured. This may sound like sour grapes, but I can’t see it catching on. The number of literary ladies in the world is surely so great as to render them ordinary and deserving members of the literati.
”
”
Pip Williams (The Dictionary of Lost Words)
“
These people so entranced by dictionaries were outside the bounds of Nishioka’s understanding. He couldn’t even be sure they thought of their work as work. They spent huge sums of their own money on materials, ignoring the limitations of their salaries. Sometimes they stayed in the office looking up things and never even realized they had missed the last train home. They seemed filled with a mad fever. And yet you couldn’t really say they loved dictionaries, either—not given the way they studied and analyzed them with such stunning concentration. There was something almost vindictive in their obsession, as if they were going after an enemy, getting the goods on him. How could they be so wrapped up in making dictionaries? He found their obsession mysterious, with even a whiff of bad taste. And yet—if only Nishioka had something that meant as much to him as dictionaries did to Majime and the rest. Then surely he would see everything differently. He would see a world of such dazzling brightness it would hurt.
”
”
Shion Miura (The Great Passage)
“
Dear Young Black Males… I encourage you to upgrade your thinking! Read books, articles, quotes, and other materials that will enhance your thinking and mindset. Embrace literature that will help propel you to greatness! Read information that will educate, empower, inspire, and motivate you. If you don’t understand the definition of a word, look it up in a dictionary. Broaden your vocabulary by utilizing the thesaurus, too. Knowledge is power, so make sure that you fill your mind with things that make you more and more powerful every day!
”
”
Stephanie Lahart
“
Inside the words there was magic. I would throw open the dictionary and dive in. Words were undiscovered continents, I would swim in amongst them, hauling them up like treasures found on the seabed. They were curiosities with weight and wonder. They were telescopes and hourglasses, barnacles and periwinkles. The words would slip through my fingers like silk, like sand. There were landlubber words all granite and gumboots and there were words that caught the mystery of air, and sounds that spoke to one another like birds across the sky and I’d go foraging for them like mushrooms, watch them like waterfalls and
”
”
Ashley Ramsden (Storytellers Way: Sourcebook for Inspired Storytelling)
“
My teacher's mind and my interest in youth has brought me to some renewed conclusions, and I pass them on earnestly to mature persons who are given to assisting young people off the trail. The dictionary has a word for them: iconoclast. It is defined as, "one who attacks cherished beliefs as shames." What if the cherished beliefs that are attacked along the way are true? What if they are the very beliefs that make these boys and girls worthwhile, promising people they are? What if the foundations of their faith are effectively shaken at this crucial period, and they dangle, with no substantial footings to stand on?
”
”
Marion D. Hanks
“
Conquest: "All territorial expansion, all seizures by force or by cunning ... are merely the cruel workings of political madness and abused power, the effect of which is to increase administrative expense and confusion and to diminish the comfort and security of the governed merely to indulge the whim or vanity of their governors."
— Talleyrand
Constancy: "In ... cases which involve imminent peril there will be found somewhat more of stability in republics than in princes. For even if the republics were inspired by the same feelings and intentions as the princes, yet the fact of their being slower will make them take more time in forming resolution, and therefore they will less promptly break their faith."
— Niccolò Machiavelli
Consul: "In American politics, a person who having failed to secure an office from the people is given one by the Administration on condition that he leave the country."
— Ambrose Bierce, 1906
Consuls: "Consuls are the Cinderellas of the diplomatic service."
— A consul, quoted by Eric Clark
”
”
Chas W. Freeman Jr. (The Diplomat's Dictionary)
“
Don't let anyone hold your dictionary-define yourself.
”
”
Victoria A. Witkewitz (Hypocrisy)
“
In the dictionary, the words "different" and "unique" are not defined as wrong.
Weird people are my people.
”
”
Jodi Livon
“
Love is the sweetness of life.”
“Pray is gold, whereas love is a diamond.”
“Love does not wear hatred and bias.”
“Love is a fulfillment of life; without that, life is nothing.”
Love cannot appear and become true love without respect, tolerance, empathy, sympathy, care, and sacrifice.”
“One can love whoever and whenever one wants; however, expecting similar feelings from that whom one loves is a risk of self-hurting.”
“Love speaks in your words, sights with your eyes, grows on your conduct, and finally resides in your heart, becoming your heartbeat.”
“When your mind is rich in wisdom, and your heart is sensitive and filled with love, you are a person who can change the world.”
“Love does not recognize the terms hide and seek. When it happens, it becomes visible without any fear or hesitation.”
“Those who care for self-respect show real and true love, and they do not break the trust and certainty of their beloved. Love cannot stay where there is no self-respect.”
“If you love someone, and you are also keeping the options, it is not fair to your lover, not even yourself. You are just an opportunist. True love knows no options.”
“Love for humanity is the mother of every love; no other love can prevail over it.”
“Etiquette, respect, and love embellish and beautify the character while also helping to reach and qualify for success in life.”
“Love with motives does not have success and embraces shame and sorry.”
“My religion is love, which I have learned from my religion.”
“Beauty hits eyes, and love touches heartbeats.”
“The billions of beautiful faces exist in the world, but I fell in love with one face.”
“The silent love has more truth than the spoken one.”
“Please pray for me. I am going to fall in love.”
“I do not search for a true friend and true love. I practice becoming a true friend and giving true love.”
“I can never feel again such love which I had felt for the first time in my youth.”
“If there is no current, the lamp does not light up; similarly, if there is no passion, love does not become the heartbeat.”
“Love with the heart validates purity and truth. Love with the mind may evidence diplomacy and tact.”
“Real and pure love exists at the age of nine and ninety years; between that lies a risk. However, an exception may become a wonder.”
“Love fragrances, and colors, the breath waves that inspire the heart language.”
“Love bears two negative feelings; fear and jealousy, overcoming that beautify life; otherwise, these become self-hurting.”
“Love is not just a remedy for sex frustration; it is a solemn life pledge to be together for all seasons and circumstances.”
“How simple it is, how deep it is, and how true it is, within the two-L-that you are my Life and Love. Do we honestly make also perfumed that?”
“Log in Love; log out Hatred and scan evil threats with the purity of thoughts: Life becomes secure and stays smooth and flowery.”
“Anyone who indulges only in self-love remains devoid of true love.”
"Your words can be constructive or destructive. Love is a positive energy that grows when it is filled up with sweet words and keeps love fresh and alive. If there are destructive words, love will go dry and finally die.
"Love is a context of heartbeats; intimacy is its dictionary; use it carefully and properly; otherwise, typos can cause risks.
”
”
Ehsan Sehgal
“
Sometimes I utilize a form of bibliomancy, or dictionariomancy, to give me a clue as to what in the foggy blue hell is going to happen next. My method is this: I make myself a pot of Evening in Missoula tea, pretend that I’m in Missoula, where I’ve never been. I light a wand of Nag Champa incense, pretend that I’m uncountable, which is the meaning of Nag Champa. I light whatever candle is handy. I am alone when I do this, not only out of respect for Pollux’s sensibilities. I would be embarrassed for anybody else to know that this is how I make rational decisions. It was a warm winter day, so Hetta and Pollux were out strolling with Jarvis, who was bundled and wrapped like a tiny mummy. The time was now. In an aura of ceremonial gravity, I set the dictionary down on the coffee table. I cleared my mind. I closed my eyes, opened up the dictionary, and let my finger drift until it touched down on a word. Divination n. 1. The art or act of foretelling future events or revealing occult knowledge by means of augury or alleged supernatural agency. 2. An inspired guess or a presentiment. 3. That which has been divined. My source confirmed my instinct and my finger landed on exactly what I was doing. My augur told me that something was coming. But I was annoyed. I thought the dictionary got it wrong because that something, the wraith of Flora, was already here. I was wrong. Something else was definitely on its way.
”
”
Louise Erdrich (The Sentence)
“
In a world where words are often mere amusement, it is imperative to forge a new dictionary that enlightens the masses on the true worth of spoken words. For those who underestimate its power, fail to realize the energy they emit and the consequences they yield. What we give with our words, we receive - a universal balance that demands understanding and respect.
”
”
Yvonne Padmos
“
There Is Only One Truth
No One Has The Truth
”
”
Sharon Esther Lampert (I Stole All The Words From The Dictionary - One of The World's Greatest Poets!: 5 Star Reviews!)
“
godly fear, carries the meaning of awe. For awe’s definition I looked at the original 1828 edition of Noah Webster’s dictionary. Here’s what I found: “fear, dread inspired by something great and terrific; to strike with fear and reverence. To influence by fear, terror or respect.
”
”
John Paul Bevere (The Awe of God: The Astounding Way a Healthy Fear of God Transforms Your Life)
“
Though it's true that (dictionary-maker Samuel) Johnson sometimes seem to feel that the language was in decline, he didn't rail against it with (Jonathan) Swift's anger. Instead, he hoped the example of his dictionary would temper that change by providing a distinguished literary example
”
”
Robert Lane Greene (You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws, and the Politics of Identity)
“
007 n. the fictional British secret agent James Bond, or someone based on, inspired by, or reminiscent of him.
”
”
Angus Stevenson (Oxford Dictionary of English)
“
Rather than seeking inspiration and meaning in life from the Bible, our culture has symbolically replaced it with the dictionary, a symbol of knowledge, learning, and enlightenment. I am committed to excellence in academics and intellectual pursuits, but this innocent mistake illustrates how so many people have replaced a vital relationship with their Creator (symbolized by the Bible) with a worship of knowledge and the mind (symbolized by the dictionary).
”
”
Glenn Pearson (That's a Great Question: What to Say When Your Faith Is Questioned)
“
Have you ever reached to a point where you asked God if the assignment is really from Him. In your account you have just 100 dollars and He is asking you to execute a 400 million dollar project. Have you reached to the point that you consider going further will make no sense? Have you reached the point where you asked God are you sure you are still with me?
I just found myself in that Junction now. Turning back ....to realise I have gone too far for Him to forsake me. Moving forward I heard the voice saying ...be still and know that I am your God. Giving up.....Couldn't find it in my dictionary.
Moral of the lesson. God cannot give you an assignment that is equal to your pocket. If it suits your pocket it is definitely not from God. Remember God will not take glory where nothing happen.
”
”
Patience Johnson (Why Does an Orderly God Allow Disorder)
“
Since I don't know what execrable means, I though I should look it up so I'll be better equipped to deal with whatever I'm about to see." Ignoring the ladies' tottering Millie continued perusing the pages until she found the word she was looking for. Lifting her head after she read the definition, she glanced around. "Begging your pardon Mrs. Cutling, but I don't see anything out here of a wretched or"- she returned her attention to the dictionary- "abominable nature. Although" -she flipped the pages to the A's -" I don't know what that means either.
”
”
Jen Turano
“
The Dictionary of Biblical Languages (DBL) admits that another interpretation of iyyim other than howling desert animals is “spirit, ghost, goblin, i.e., a night demon or dead spirit (Isa. 13:22; 34:14; Jer. 50:39), note: this would be one from the distant lands, i.e., referring to the nether worlds.”[12] One could say that siyyim and iyyim are similar to our own play on words, “ghosts and goblins.” The proof of this demon interpretation is in the Apostle John’s inspired reuse of the same exact language when pronouncing judgment upon first century Israel as a symbolic “Mystery Babylon.
”
”
Brian Godawa (Joshua Valiant (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 5))
“
I believe a person who strives to keep a great attitude is refusing a life of mediocrity. God isn’t calling you to a life of mediocrity. Think of what the word mediocre means. The dictionary defines mediocre as “of only moderate quality; not very good.” Synonyms for the word mediocre are words such as average, undistinguished, unexceptional, lackluster, and forgettable. Do these words describe how you want your life to be remembered? I seriously doubt they do. You want your life to be remembered as inspiring and exceptional. If you seek God’s direction and plan for your life, he will lead and empower you to reach your full potential and inspire others.
”
”
Mark R. Lile (Leaving a Legacy: Ten Life Lessons I Wish I Had Learned Sooner)
“
Never allow yourself to be defined by your past; ‘yesterday’ is just a word, not a dictionary.
”
”
Matshona Dhliwayo
“
Why” precedes “How” in all places other than the dictionary. If your why is strong enough, you will figure out how in one way or another.
”
”
Ali Sohani (The Radical Leap)
“
The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price.
”
”
Vince Lombardi
“
Throughout the English dictionary you will find only one most selfish one letter word- I
”
”
KUSHA MEHTA
“
Every dictionary entry or grammar rule worth its salt is complete with example sentences. Example sentences reinforce, contextualize, and activate; they inspire confidence, as per above, and keep the learner from making silly mistakes.
”
”
Benjamin Batarseh (The Art of Learning a Foreign Language: 25 Things I Wish They Told Me)
“
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.
”
”
Kathy Collins (200 Motivational and inspirational Quotes That Will Inspire Your Success)
“
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John1:1
Words carry great power, it is quite important to know not so much what the dictionary says that they mean, but what the ancients say that they mean.
Judaism believes that the entirety was created by rearranging the 22 letters of its alphabet into words, and whatever was spelled by God was created. "And God SAID let there be light and there was" God said/spelled a word first before any creation. In the beginning, was the word.
Jesus, while on the cross, could have easily said, "Forgive them Father for they know not what they say
”
”
Raymond D. Longoria Jr.
“
2 [CRICKET] each of the three upright pieces of wood which form a wicket. (stumps) close of play in a cricket match. 3 [ART] a cylinder with conical ends made of rolled paper or other soft material, used for softening or blending marks made with a crayon or pencil. 4 chiefly NORTH AMERICAN used in relation to political campaigning: his jibes at his opponents may have won him some support on the stump early in his campaign | [as modifier] an inspiring stump speaker. [ referring to the use of a tree stump, from which an orator would speak.]
”
”
Angus Stevenson (Oxford Dictionary of English)
“
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
”
”
Vince Lombardi
“
Credibility: When policies begin to fail, those who crafted or supported them argue that national credibility would be irreparably harmed by their abandonment. But persistence in policies destined to fail produces not just failure but a reputation for failure.
Crises: "International crises have their advantages. They frighten the weak but stir and inspire the strong."
— James Reston, 1967
Crises: "In ciritical situations, let women run things."
— Talleyrand
Crises, response of international organizations to: The usual response of international organizations to crises passes through predictable phases: they ignore the problem; they issue a statement of concern about it; they wring their hands while sitting on them; they declare that they remain seized of the matter; they adjourn.
”
”
Chas W. Freeman Jr. (The Diplomat's Dictionary)
“
Ambassadors, credibility of: The government to which ambassadors are accredited will see them as interpreters of thoughts that are not their own and executors of design handed to them by higher authority. The credibility of ambassadors therefore depends less on their own merits than on the use they know how to make of the fear or confidence inspired by the government they represent.
Ambassador, duty of: "The first duty of an ambassador is exactly the same as that of any other servant of government, that is, to do, say, advise and think whatever may best serve the preservation and aggrandizement of his own state."
— Ermolao Barbaro, c. 1490
Ambassadors, empathy for host nation of: A great ambassador develops empathy for the interests and views of the nation to which he is assigned, but remains the advocate only of those of his own government and nation. He courts good relations with those in authority but never forgets that his object in doing so is to persuade them to accept the views of his capital and that honest disagreement, tactfully presented, can be seen as a mark of friendly concern.
Ambassadors, informants about their country: In ancient times, ambassadors were regarded by the sovereigns to whom they were accredited as a primary source of information about events in their homeland. In modern times, when information on events around the globe is speedily and readily available through the media, ambassadors must still strive to make themselves trusted interpreters of events. They may thereby hope to shape the understanding and guide the responses of their host government to happenings back home and also to lay a basis for an exchange of insights with their interlocutors that will improve the accuracy of their reporting and analysis to their own government.
”
”
Chas W. Freeman Jr. (The Diplomat's Dictionary)
“
Morality in foreign policy: "Where an important purpose of diplomacy is to further enduring good relations between states, the methods — the modes of conduct — by which relations between states are carried on must be designed to inspire trust and confidence. To achieve this result, the conduct of diplomacy should conform to the same moral and ethical principles which inspire trust and confidence when followed by and between individuals."
— Dean Acheson, 1964
Morality in foreign policy: "Moral principles have their place in the heart of the individual and in the shaping of his own conduct, whether as a citizen or as a government official. ... But when the individual's behavior passes through the machinery of political organization and merges with that of millions of other individuals to find its expression in the actions of a government, then it undergoes a general transmutation, and the same moral concepts are no longer relevant to it. A government is an agent, not a principal; and no more than any other agent may it attempt to be the conscience of its principal. In particular, it may not subject itself to those supreme laws of renunciation and self-sacrifice that represent the culmination of individual moral growth."
— George F. Kennan, 1954
Morality in foreign policy: 'A statesman cannot afford to be a moralist."
Attributed to Will Durant
”
”
Chas W. Freeman Jr. (The Diplomat's Dictionary)