From the Author
A SampleTo give you an idea of the entries in the book, here is a sampling of some of the aphorisms and shorter entries:145. Fully the half of knowledge consists in asking the right questions. Progress is often better served by asking a new question than by seeking a new answer to an old question.
152. It is defeat rather than success that most sharpens our abilities.
179. It is a general unwillingness to learn, rather than a general inability, which hinders the progress of mankind.
195. The brightest are not those who nod their heads, but those who ask questions.
230. How sad it is for a man to be so insecure as to be hungry for praise, and so egotistical as to believe it.
251. There is no feeling like that of knowing what you're doing - even when you don't.
335. Falsehood is never opposed half so vigorously as is truth.
402. The most fundamental disease of truth is a disease of the ear.
462. Teach the difference between depth and obscurity and you will have helped to cure one of the major errors of modernism.
477. He who has an answer for everything has many useless answers.
502. Spending ten dollars to save a hundred is a bargain, but more often we spend ten dollars to save five.
668. Sometimes it is better to make your own mistakes rather than to listen to other people and then make theirs.
751. A quadrimental idea.
One. We listen very attentively to our own opinions in the mouths of others.
Two. The man who finally persuades us is the one who tells us what we wish to believe.
Three. When another's opinion is the same as ours, we consider the matter proved beyond all doubt. If his opinion differs, well, what conclusion can be drawn from the ranting bigotries of the ignorant and stupid?
Four. We notice (without vanity, of course) that the most intelligent and clear thinking and wise people always share our opinions (though, curiously, sometimes a person is very intelligent on some matters very stupid and others - but then this is true even when we don't use a ruler printed on a rubber band). A corollary to the QM idea: We may not always be reasonable or have the facts straight, or understand the issues or really what we're talking about, but at least we're always right.
But Wait! There's More!
Included are anecdotes, stories, and many personal commentaries on culture, politics, ethics, religion, morality, and life itself.
Also included are the first twenty-two entries in The Book of One Hundred Lies, including "I promise not to tell anyone." "That cannot happen." "If you agree this time I'll never ask you again. Just this once."
P.S. No, "quadrimental" is not really a word, and yes, there is a significant amount of irony in my thinking. Enjoy!
About the Author
Robert Harris was born in Los Angeles, California in 1950. He began to write these Glimmerings at age 23, when he was in graduate school completing a master's degree. He continued writing down his observations during a period of scant em-ployment (address label typist in a seed company, real estate salesman, very part-time professor), and then back into gradu-ate school, where at great length he obtained a PhD in English. Fifteen years as a college and university professor and seven years as an instructional designer gave him additional thoughts for recording-which you will find in Glimmerings II. Now, Dr. Harris is "retired" (also known as writing and researching full time but without definite compensation). He lives in Tustin, California with his wife, Marie.
