So here’s a few that come to my mind today, feeling a little annoyed at much in the news lately:

Let’s start with a real modern classic not mentioned yet . . .

“We have met the enemy and he is us,” Pogo [Walt Kelly]

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel,” Samuel Johnson

The prior quoted for its own merits and to explain the source for my personal variation thereof.

“Ethnic pride is the last refuge of the loser” Directed at all those who think being born ___ is an accomplishment or makes them in anyway superior to any other.


“Don't tax me; don't tax thee; tax that fellow behind the tree.” Russell Long Directed towards ‘Tea Partyists’ who imagine we can have a modern society and government sans taxes.

Finally on God and religion.

“entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem” (entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity) Occam’s razor