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There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.

Toni Morrison

We mistook violence for passion, indolence for leisure, and thought recklessness was freedom.
TONI MORRISON

Freedom Leisure Passion Violence
If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.
TONI MORRISON

Book Writing
Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge.
TONI MORRISON

Knowledge Language Limitation Oppressive Represent Violence
I’ve spent my entire writing life trying to make sure that the white gaze was not the dominant one in any of my books.
TONI MORRISON

Book Dominant Life Spend Try White Writing
The enemy is not men. The enemy is the concept of patriarchy, the concept of patriarchy as the way to run the world or do things.
TONI MORRISON

Concept Enemy Men World
A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves – a special kind of double.
TONI MORRISON

Kindness Ourselves Sister Special
As you enter positions of trust and power, dream a little before you think.
TONI MORRISON

Dreams Inspirational Position Power Thinking
Me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow.
TONI MORRISON

Couple Future Kindness Past Relationship
The best art is political and you ought to be able to make it unquestionably political and irrevocably beautiful at the same time.
TONI MORRISON

Art Beautiful Politics Time
Racism will disappear when it’s no longer profitable, and no longer psychologically useful. And when that happens, it’ll be gone. But at the moment, people make a lot of money off of it, pro and con.
TONI MORRISON

Disappear Happen Money People Profit Psychology Racism
Your life is already artful-waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art.
TONI MORRISON

Art Life Wait
She learned the intricacy of loneliness: the horror of color, the roar of soundlessness and the menace of familiar objects lying still.
TONI MORRISON

Colour Horror Learning Loneliness She
Literature, it seems to me, is wisdom.
TONI MORRISON

Literature One Liner Wisdom
You are your own stories.
TONI MORRISON

Deep One Liner Story
For me the history of the place of black people in this country is so varied, complex and beautiful. And impactful.
TONI MORRISON

Beautiful Black Lives Matter Complex Country History Impact Place
Something that is loved is never lost.
TONI MORRISON

Deep Inspirational Lost Love One Liner
If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.
TONI MORRISON

Book Reading Want
There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.
TONI MORRISON

Civilization Despair Fear Healing Language Silence Time Writing
You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.
TONI MORRISON

Fly Freedom Give Up Let Go Shit Weigh
You have to be a little tough, and rely on yourself. And tell people ‘No’.
TONI MORRISON

Attitude Inspirational People Rely Tough Yourself
Sometimes what I write on the page frightens me, so I feel free when I write, but I don’t feel safe.
TONI MORRISON

Feeling Safe Writing
You free. Nothing and nobody is obliged to save you but you.
TONI MORRISON

Freedom Inspirational Obligation Save
Lonely was much better than alone.
TONI MORRISON

Alone Loneliness One Liner Sad
In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work.
TONI MORRISON

Artist Choose Silence Time Work
I type in one place, but I write all over the house.
TONI MORRISON

House Place Writing
Misery don’t call ahead. That’s why you have to stay awake – otherwise it just walks on in your door.
TONI MORRISON

Awake Door Misery Walk
If you can only be tall because someone else is on their knees, then you have a serious problem. And white people have a very, very serious problem.
TONI MORRISON

Black Lives Matter People Problem Racism Serious

There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.

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There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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