It is never ridicule, but a compliment, that knocks a philosopher off his feet. He is already positioned for every possible counter-attack, counter-argument, and retort. . . only to find a big bear hug coming his way.
When we stop believing in gods we can start believing in their stories, I retort. There are of course no such things as miracles, but if there were and so tomorrow we woke up to find no more believers on earth, no more devout Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, why then, sure the beauty of the stories would be a thing we could focus on because they wouldn't be dangerous any more, they would become capable of compelling the only belief that leads to truth, that is, the willing, disbelieving of the reader in a well-told tale.
One problem I have with talking about myself in the context of class divisiveness is that I can be - and indeed have been - used by others to demonstrate its absence and that it's only a matter of hard work to move upward socially. After all, how could I complain about anything, if the retort is: "But look where you got to? It can't be all that bad. " But this is nonsense as an argument quite aside from its empirical absurdity because no single case can invalidate a statistical claim.
The willing sacrifice of the innocents is the most powerful retort to insolent tyranny that has yet to be conceived by God or man.
Look. Every partisan in every party has to learn one thing: Sometimes your people are wrong. To paraphrase an old retort, saying "My party, right or wrong" is like saying "My Kennedy, drunk or sober. " Credibility is earned, and standing up and saying "Fie!" now and then reinforces your truthfulness.
I think that Lethal Weapon-style dialogue is overused, it's a necessary aspect of high action films where you have to have the smart retort. You have to say "I'll be back baby" and stuff. It's not my style.
Every time we hold our tongues instead of returning the sharp retort, show patience with another's faults, show a little more love and kindness, we are helping to stock-pile more of these peace-bringing qualities in the world instead of armaments for war.
Well, remember what you said, because in a day or two, I'll have a witty and blistering retort! You'll be devastated THEN
One doesn't come to Italy for niceness," was the retort; "one comes for life. Buon giorno! Buon giorno!
Audiences are always better pleased with a smart retort, some joke or epigram, than with any amount of reasoning.
A philosopher who says, 'There are no truths, only interpretations,' risks the retort: 'Is that true, or only an interpretation?'
