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All men and women have passions, natural desires and noble ambitions, and also a conscience; they have sex, hunger, fear, anger, and are subject to sickness, pain, suffering and death. Culture consists in bringing about the expression of these passions and desires in harmony.

— Lin Yutang The Importance of Living (1937)

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More quotes by Lin Yutang

There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.

The Importance of Living (1937)

By association with nature's enormities, a man's heart may truly grow big also.

The Importance of Living (1937)

A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already.

The Importance of Living (1937)

The wise man reads both books and life itself.

The Importance of Living (1937)

Such religion as there can be in modern life, every individual will have to salvage from the churches for himself.

The Importance of Living (1937)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Lin Yutang (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.