Reality vs pretension Quotes

“A fig for your precious society with its bridge parties, its inane chatter, its cheap mentality; its dances and vulgar banquets; its snobbery and cheap pretension. The humblest library can show you upon a single shelf better society and far more select company than all the drawing-rooms of Europe, America, and South Africa.”

“The heart of the world is breaking under this load of pride and pretense. There is no release from our burden apart from the meekness of Christ.”

“Pretense cannot sustain blind power.”

“I don't like bullshit and pretense.I can't enjoy the joy at church...without some cash in my wallet.”

“Adopting the language of a pretense only serves to ease participation in it.”

“A man who writes a book, thinks himself wiser or wittier than the rest of mankind; he supposes that he can instruct or amuse them, and the publick to whom he appeals, must, after all, be the judges of his pretensions.”

“All under the pretense of military application.”He pouts. “No pretense about it. Remember, the Internet was a military application. And now look at how it’s changed our culture.”

“If we get separated there’s not much hope of us ever meeting anywhere, but I need to keep up the pretense of hope because that may be all we have.”

“Perhaps it is only when we realize and celebrate the intrinsic value of every human life that celebrity - true celebrity - shines most brightly. On our deathbeds, none of us will speak of the jobs we’ve held or the stuff we’ve acquired in our lifetimes; here bull markets and Nielsen ratings are irrelevant. A life-threatening illness jettisons pretension in no time flat. Death is the great equalizer. Death dares us to define what really matters.”