Government proposes, bureaucracy disposes. And the bureaucracy must dispose of government proposals by dumping them on us.
P. J. O'RourkeRead
Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Choose your reading material wisely, as it reflects on you even in lifeβs unexpected moments.
This quote humorously suggests that we should always choose to read something that enhances our reputation, even in unforeseen circumstances such as death. It highlights the value we place on appearances and how our interests and choices, even in private moments like reading, can define us and what we wish to convey to others about ourselves.
Themes
ReadingEducationAppearanceHumorWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
Inspiring students at a literary event to appreciate the importance of their reading choices.
More from P. J. O'Rourke
All quotes βPredicting innovation is something of a self-canceling exercise: the most probable innovations are probably the least innovative.
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I spend my days kneeling in the muck of language, feeling around for gooey verbs, nouns, and modifiers that I can squash together to make a blob of a sentence that bears some likeness to reason and sense.
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Hubris is one of the great renewable resources.
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