Karl Kraus Quotes (-)

“If there were no politics, then all the bourgeois would have to fill him would be his inner life, i.e., nothing.”

“To the Philistine, art is fancy dress for everyday toil and trouble. He snaps at ornaments like a dog at sausage.”

“How is the world ruled and led to war? Diplomats lie to journalists and believe these lies when they see them in print.”

“To my imagination she is a gracious princess—to my reason, a scullery maid. The artist lets both roles play concurrently. The Philistine is disappointed and retracts the first.”

“If something is stolen from you, don't go to the police. They're not interested. Don't go to a psychologist either, because he's interested in only one thing: that it was really you who did the stealing.”

“I took the right road to life by conquering it with every step instead of taking possession of it as a tradition for which the young mind has no use. Adults who still derive childlike pleasure from hanging the gifts of a ready-made education on the Christmas tree of a child waiting outside the door to life do not realize how unreceptive they are making children to everything that constitutes the surprise of life.”