‘We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.’

Liberty

Winston Churchill 1874 – 1965

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

He was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955.

Great statesman

He is considered one of the best-known, and some say one of the greatest statesman of the 20th century. He was also a Nobel Prize winner in literature for his speeches and books. 

He is famous for his inspiring quotes, such as ‘Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.

‘I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear’.

I have a dream...

Martin Luther King Jr. 1929 – 1968

Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who advocated for nonviolent resistance against racial oppression in the United States. 

He is best known for his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, delivered at the March on Washington in 1963, where he called for an end to racism and a vision of a society where people are judged by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin.

Martin Luther King Jr. was assasinated in 1968.

‘I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear’. Martin Luther King Jr.

‘The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.’

Joker

William Shakespeare 1564 – 1616

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.  He is often called England’s national poet and the ‘Bard of Avon’ (or simply ‘the Bard’).

Defintion of the word ‘Bard’.

A bard is a poet, especially one who writes or recites epic or heroic poems. This is the most common and literary meaning of the word. 

A bard is also a term for a professional poet-singer or minstrel in ancient Celtic cultures, who was employed by a patron to praise their deeds and ancestors, and to preserve historical and traditional knowledge in verse. 

The ‘bards’ were highly respected and influential in Gaelic and Welsh societies, and their poems were often accompanied by musical instruments such as the harp.

‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’. Lao Tzu

Steps

Lao Tzu (also spelled Laozi or Lao-Tze) was a semi-legendary ancient Chinese philosopher who is credited with writing the Tao Te Ching, a classic of Chinese philosophical-religious literature. 

The Tao Te Ching is the main source of Taoist teachings, which emphasize harmony with the natural flow of the Tao, the creative and binding force of the universe.

‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’.

Chinese Legend

According to legend, Lao Tzu met Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, and impressed him with his wisdom. He also tried to teach people the way of the Tao, but found them unwilling to listen. He then decided to leave civilization and retire into seclusion. Before he departed, he wrote down his teachings in the Tao Te Ching at the request of a border guard. Some Taoist sects believe that he then became an immortal.

Culture influence

Lao Tzu’s influence on Chinese culture is immense. He is regarded as the ancestor of the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), one of the most prosperous and powerful periods in Chinese history. He is also revered as a deity in religious Taoism and Chinese folk religion, under the name Laojun, one of the ‘Three Pure Ones’. 

His teachings have inspired many other philosophers, poets, artists, and leaders throughout history and across the world.

First Steps
‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’.

‘The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.’

Think

George Orwell 1903 – 1950

George Orwell 1903 – 1950. This quote is ‘attributed’ to George Orwell, a British writer and journalist who is best known for his novels 1984 and Animal Farm. But this quote is most likely NOT an Orwell one – eventhough it is widely accepted as his.

It is most likely that Orwell never wrote or spoke these words, even though they have a broadly Orwellian dystopian feel to them. It would appear that this quote was first written by a conservative writer in 2009, but has been almost universally misattributed to Orwell in the intervening 12 years.

The earliest record found found and apparently the original, was descovered in a column by the conservative writer Selwyn Duke, written in 2009.

So, who is Selwyn Duke?

Selwyn Duke is a conservative writer and commentator who has published articles on various topics such as politics, culture, religion, and science.

Duke is known for his traditionalist and sometimes controversial views on issues such as immigration, feminism, transgenderism, and vote fraud. He has written for several online and print outlets, such as The Hill, The American Conservative, WorldNetDaily, and American Thinker.

He also has a personal website where he posts his opinions and media appearances, and is active on X.

Selwyn Duke should not to be confused with George Orwell, a British author who wrote novels such as 1984 and Animal Farm. A quote that is often misattributed to Orwell actually originated from a 2009 opinion piece by Duke

George Orwell quote
‘The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.’ Attributed to Orwell – but likely not one of his quotes.

‘Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree’.

Apple Tree

Martin Luther 1483 – 1546

Martin Luther was a German theologian and leader of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. He is known for his writings and teachings on topics such as justification by faith, the authority of Scripture, the priesthood of all believers, and the freedom of the Christian.

He also translated the Bible into German and wrote many hymns, catechisms, and commentaries.

He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity.

Apple Tree
‘Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree’.

See other quotes

‘If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write’.

Writing

Martin Luther 1483 – 1546

Martin Luther was a German theologian and leader of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. He is known for his writings and teachings on topics such as justification by faith, the authority of Scripture, the priesthood of all believers, and the freedom of the Christian.

He also translated the Bible into German and wrote many hymns, catechisms, and commentaries.

He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity

Writing
‘If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write’.

‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’.

Lemonade

Elbert Hubbard 1856 –1915

Elbert Hubbard – was an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. He was a travelling salesman.

Hubbard is best known as the founder of the Roycroft artisan community in New York, an influential exponent of the Arts and Crafts movement.

No, nor me – never heard of him, but I really like this quote.

‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’.

‘The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity’.

First female aviator to fly across atlantic ocean solo

Amelia Earhart 1897 – 1937 (disappeared – delcared dead 1939)

Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many records and was one of the first aviators to promote commercial air travel.

She also wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences, and was instrumental in the formation of ‘The Ninety-Nines’, an organization for female pilots.

First aviator to fly across atlantic ocean solo
‘The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity’.

‘It is the beauty within us that makes it possible for us to recognize the beauty around us. The question is not what you look at but what you see’.

Sunshine

Henry David Thoreau 1817 –1862

He was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher and leading transcendentalist.

Transcendentalism is a philosophical, spiritual, and literary movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the New England region of the United States.  

A core belief is in the inherent goodness of people and nature, and while society and its institutions have corrupted the purity of the individual, people are at their best when truly ‘self-reliant’ and independent.

People and a sunset
‘It is the beauty within us that makes it possible for us to recognize the beauty around us. The question is not what you look at but what you see’.

‘Sometimes later, becomes never. Do it now’!

Butterfly in flight

The quote is often used to inspire people to take action and avoid procrastination, as it implies that delaying something may result in missing the opportunity or losing the motivation to do it.

The quote also suggests that the present moment is the best time to pursue your goals and dreams, rather than wait for a more convenient time.

‘Sometimes later becomes never – do it now!’

See other quotes

‘Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom’.

Aristotle

Aristotle 384–322 BC

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, who is considered one of the greatest intellectual figures of Western history.

He wrote on a wide range of subjects, including logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, biology, natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology and  the arts.

He founded the Lyceum, a school of philosophy in Athens, and tutored Alexander the Great.

‘The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.’

Robot AI

Isaac Asimov 1920 – 1992

Isaac Asimov was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the ‘Big Three’ science fiction writers, along with Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein.

My favourite book by Isaac Asimov is I, Robot. If you haven’t read it yet, go lift one off the shelf – it’s well worth a read.