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“Often, the less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it.” Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
“There are times when custom can be the higher law.” Isaac Asimov, Foundation
“Such is the influence of custom, that, where it is strongest, it not only covers our natural ignorance, but even conceals itself, and seems not to take place, merely because it is found in the highest degree.” David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
“The anaesthetic effect of custom being destroyed, I would begin to think and to feel very melancholy things.” Marcel Proust, Swann's Way
“Custom, then, is the great guide of human life.” David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
“So true is it that unnatural generally means only uncustomary, and that everything which is usual appears natural.” John Stuart Mill, The Subjection of Women
“Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favour; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a...” Thomas Paine, Common Sense
“It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death, rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end.” Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
“Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom.” Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy
“Hobbits really are amazing creatures, as I have said before. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch.” J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
“my eyes are not yet accustomed to the desert . . . I can see things that eyes habituated to the desert might not see.” Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
“Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice to change true rules for odd inventions.” William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew
“It is useful to know something of the manners of different nations, that we may be enabled to form a more correct judgment regarding our own, and be prevented from thinking that everything contrary to our customs is ridiculous and irrational, a...” René Descartes, Discourse on the Method

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tradition life death ignorance experience philosophy appearance judgement law sight doubt hiding wrong invention surprise melancholy guide eggs naturality

Related authors

David Hume (2)
William Shakespeare (1)
J. R. R. Tolkien (1)
Mark Twain (1)
Paulo Coelho (1)
Bertrand Russell (1)
Isaac Asimov (1)
Thomas Paine (1)
Marcel Proust (1)
John Stuart Mill (1)
Jonathan Swift (1)
René Descartes (1)

Related sources

An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (2)
The Alchemist (1)
The Fellowship of the Ring (1)
The Subjection of Women (1)
The Taming of the Shrew (1)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1)
Discourse on the Method (1)
The Problems of Philosophy (1)
Foundation (1)
Common Sense (1)
Swann's Way (1)
Gulliver's Travels (1)