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The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.

V.S. Naipaul

The past has to be seen to be dead; or the past will kill.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Death Kill Past See
This is unusual for me. I have given readings and not lectures. I have told people who ask for lectures that I have no lecture to give. And that is true.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Lecture Myself People Reading True
The family feuds or the village feuds often had to do with an idea of honor. Perhaps it was a peasant idea; perhaps this idea of honor is especially important to a society without recourse to law or without confidence in law.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Confidence Family Fight Ideas Important Law Respect Society
I will say I am the sum of my books.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Books Myself
In England people are very proud of being very stupid.
V.S. NAIPAUL

People Proud Stupidity
Ignorant people in preppy clothes are more dangerous to America than oil embargoes.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Appearance Clothes Dangerous Ignorance People
The world outside existed in a kind of darkness; and we inquired about nothing.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Darkness Existence Kind World
One must always try to see the truth of a situation – it makes things universal.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Oneself Situation Truth Universe
If ever you wish to meet intellectual frauds in quantity, go to Paris.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Fake Intellectual Mistake Quantity Travel Yourself
Men need history; it helps them to have an idea of who they are. But history, like sanctity, can reside in the heart; it is enough that there is something there.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Enough History Ideas Man Need
A civilization which has taken over the world cannot be said to be dying.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Civilization Conquer Death World
Making a book is such a big enterprise.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Big Books Enterprise
My life is short. I can’t listen to banality.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Life Listening Myself
It is important not to trust people too much.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Important One Liner People Trust
The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Ourselves Punishment True
It is wrong to have an ideal view of the world. That’s where the mischief starts. That’s where everything starts unravelling.
V.S. NAIPAUL

Ideal Reveal Start View World Wrong

The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.

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The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.

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Popular Authors

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