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A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous and then dismissed as trivial, until finally, it becomes what everybody knows.

William James

The prevalent fear of poverty among the educated classes is the worst moral disease from which our civilization suffers.
WILLIAM JAMES

Civilization Class Fear
No one sees further into a generalization than his own knowledge of detail extends.
WILLIAM JAMES

Details Generalization Knowledge
We may be in the Universe as dogs and cats are in our libraries, seeing the books and hearing the conversation, but having no inkling of the meaning of it all.
WILLIAM JAMES

Book Cat Conservations Dog
… the intellect, everywhere invasive, shows everywhere its shallowing effect.
WILLIAM JAMES

Effects Intellect Shows
Men’s activities are occupied into ways — in grappling with external circumstances and in striving to set things at one in their own topsy-turvy mind.
WILLIAM JAMES

Men Mind Way
Our beliefs are really rules for action.
WILLIAM JAMES

Action Belief Really Rules
There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man’s lack of faith in his true Self.
WILLIAM JAMES

Esteem Failure Inspirational Self
One of the greatest discoveries of our time is that a man can alter the state of their life by altering the state of their mind.
WILLIAM JAMES

Discovery Men Mind
To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the normal.
WILLIAM JAMES

Abnormal Philosophical Understanding
Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or being.
WILLIAM JAMES

Based Inspirational Life Test
So our self-feeling in this world depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do.
WILLIAM JAMES

Feelings Self World
Once you accept an idea, it’s an idea whose time has come.
WILLIAM JAMES

Accepting Daring Ideas
There can be no existence of evil as a force to the healthy-minded individual.
WILLIAM JAMES

Evil Healthy Individual
Everybody should do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice.
WILLIAM JAMES

Hate Inspirational Life
With no attempt there can be no failure; with no failure no humiliation.
WILLIAM JAMES

Attempt Failure Humiliation No
Everything which is demanded is by that fact a good.
WILLIAM JAMES

Demanded Everything Facts

A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous and then dismissed as trivial, until finally, it becomes what everybody knows.

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A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous and then dismissed as trivial, until finally, it becomes what everybody knows.

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Popular Authors

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