Karl Kraus (writer)

“An aphorism can never be the whole truth; it is either a half-truth or a truth-and-a-half.”

“We are sacrificing ourselves for our ready-made goods; we are consumers and live in such a way that the means may consume the end.”

“The tyranny of necessity grants its slaves three kinds of freedom: opinion free from intellect, entertainment free from art, and orgies free from love.”

“Progress … has subordinated the purpose of life to the means of subsistence and turned us into the nuts and bolts for our tools.”

“Culture is the tacit agreement to let the means of subsistence disappear behind the purpose of existence.”

“Love and art do not embrace what is beautiful but what is made beautiful by this embrace.”

“Der Fortschritt feiert Pyrrhussiege über die Natur.”

“What is the Ninth Symphony compared to a Tin Pan Alley hit played on a hurdy-gurdy and a memory?”

“There are women who are not beautiful but only look that way.”

“Everyone is stopped and waiting, maitre d's, hansom cab drivers and governments. Everyone's waiting for the end. Let's hope the apocalypse is pleasant, Your Highness.”