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Man has—next to the drives of reproduction and dining—two passions: making noise and not listening.

— Kurt Tucholsky

Der Mensch hat neben dem Trieb der Fortpflanzung und dem, zu essen und zu trinken, zwei Leidenschaften: Krach zu machen und nicht zuzuhören.

Original text (German)

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More quotes by Kurt Tucholsky

Mankind doesn't grant itself anything—that is why it has invented the law. It isn't allowed for him so it shouldn't be allowed for others.

Furthermore, here the one pointing out the filthiness is perceived as much more dangerous than the one producing the filth.

At which a diplomat from France replies: «The war? I can't find it too terrible! The death of one man: that is a catastrophe. One hundred thousand deaths: that is a statistic!»

Französischer Witz (1932)

For four years, there were whole square miles of land where murder was obligatory, while it was strictly forbidden half an hour away. Did I say: murder? Of course murder. Soldiers are murderers.

Human stupidity is international.

Hégésippe Simon (1931)

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Attribution

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