Walter Benjamin Quotes

German - Critic | July 15, 1892 - September 26, 1940

All disgust is originally disgust at touching.

Walter Benjamin

DisgustTouchingOriginally

Of all the ways of acquiring books, writing them oneself is regarded as the most praiseworthy method. Writers are really people who write books not because they are poor, but because they are dissatisfied with the books which they could buy but do not like.

Walter Benjamin

PeopleWritingPoorWriteBuyBooks

It is precisely the purpose of the public opinion generated by the press to make the public incapable of judging, to insinuate into it the attitude of someone irresponsible, uninformed.

Walter Benjamin

AttitudePurposeOpinionSomeone

Opinions are a private matter. The public has an interest only in judgments.

Walter Benjamin

OpinionsMatterInterestOnlyPublic

The art of storytelling is reaching its end because the epic side of truth, wisdom, is dying out.

Walter Benjamin

WisdomTruthArtEndStorytelling

The greater the decrease in the social significance of an art form, the sharper the distinction between criticism and enjoyment by the public. The conventional is uncritically enjoyed, and the truly new is criticized with aversion.

Walter Benjamin

ArtCriticismNewSocialEnjoyment

The idea that happiness could have a share in beauty would be too much of a good thing.

Walter Benjamin

GoodBeautyHappinessToo MuchShare

Gifts must affect the receiver to the point of shock.

Walter Benjamin

PointAffectGiftsMustShock

Genuine polemics approach a book as lovingly as a cannibal spices a baby.

Walter Benjamin

BabyBookGenuineSpicesApproach

The true picture of the past flits by. The past can be seized only as an image which flashes up at the instant when it can be recognized and is never seen again.

Walter Benjamin

PastPictureTrueNeverImageUp

To be happy is to be able to become aware of oneself without fright.

Walter Benjamin

HappyBe HappyBecomeWithoutAware

Opinions are to the vast apparatus of social existence what oil is to machines: one does not go up to a turbine and pour machine oil over it; one applies a little to hidden spindles and joints that one has to know.

Walter Benjamin

OpinionsGoKnowOilHiddenOver

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