Karl Kraus Quotes - Page 9

A good stylist should have narcissistic enjoyment as he works. He must be able to objectivize his work to such an extent that he catches himself feeling envious and has to jog his memory to find that he is himself the creator. In short, he must display that highest degree of objectivity which the world calls vanity.

Many talents preserve their precociousness right into old age.

There is a shortage of clerks. Everyone is going into journalism.

The discovery of the North Pole is one of those realities which could not be avoided. It is the wages which human perseverance pays itself when it thinks that something is taking too long. The world needed a discoverer of the North Pole, and in all areas of social activity, merit was less important here than opportunity.

A snob is unreliable. The work he praises might just be good.

An idea's birth is legitimate if one has the feeling that one is catching oneself plagiarizing oneself.

The art of an actress is sublimated sexuality. But off the stage the fire must be able to reconvert the steam into body.

The real end of the world is the destruction of the spirit; the other kind depends on the insignificant attempt to see whether after such a destruction the world can go on.

In the theater one must sit in such a way that one sees the audience as a dark mass. Then it cannot bother one more than it does an actor. Nothing is more disturbing than being able to distinguish individuals in the crowd.

The ultimate aim of psychoanalysis is to attribute art to mental weakness, and then to trace the weakness back to the point where, according to analytic dogma, it originated namely, the lavatory.

The press, that goiter of the world, swells up with the desire for conquest and bursts with the achievements which every day brings. A week has room for the boldest climax of the human drive for expansion.

An artist should make concessions to the listener. That is why Bruckner dedicated one of his symphonies to the Good Lord.

News reports stand up as people, and people wither into editorials. Clichés walk around on two legs while men are having theirs shot off.

Ideas are transplanted by splitting, thoughts by sprouting.

"A cigar," said the altruist, "a cigar, my good man, I cannot give you. But any time you need a light, just come around; mine is always lit."

Nowadays the thief cannot be distinguished from his victim. Neither has any valuable objects on him.

It so often happened to me that someone who shared my opinion kept the larger share for himself that I am now forewarned and offer people only ideas.

Virginity is the ideal of those who want to deflower.

A child learns to discard his ideals, whereas a grown-up never wears out his short pants.

Ingratitude is often disproportionate to the benefaction received.

Psychology is as useless as directions for using poison.

Satire that the censor understands is rightly censored.

Satire chooses and knows no objects. It arises by fleeing from them and their forcing themselves upon it.

The closer the look one takes at a word, the greater distance from which it looks back.

What are all the orgies of Bacchus when compared to the intoxication of someone who completely surrenders to continence!