Realism Quotes

"All plans of government which suppose great reformation in the manners of mankind are plainly imaginary" "I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man" "To take what there is and use it without waiting forever in vain for the preconceived." "To rely upon conviction, devotion, and other excellent spiritual qualities; that is not to be taken seriously in politics" "If men were angels no government would be necessary" "I'm not a visionary. I'm just an optimistic guy who wants to make a difference" "The best stories don't come from "good versus bad" but "bad versus worse." "You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics." "What is there that is too dirty, too sordid, too depressing to be read about or spoken of? If literature cannot deal with the grimy underbelly of life, then what is it for?" "Cushioning the world with pity does not explain how one plans to have it work" "Colloquial poetry is to the real art as the barber's wax dummy is to sculpture." "Idealism is the assertion that we have an absolute finite knowledge of the infinite whereas realism professes that the infinite is known to us only relatively and therefore must remain always a mystery to us" "The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection." "Truth is what works." "Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being… there are legitimate expectations, but one must always make room for the fallibility of human nature."