Author: Dr. Laurence J. Peter

A pessimist is a man who looks both ways before crossing a one-way street.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Characteristics People

Censor: A man who knows more than he thinks you ought to.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Communication Definitions Language

America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
America Places Taxes

A rut is a grave with the ends knocked out.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Situations Things

If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Intelligence

It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Fools Intelligence Time Wisdom

An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Intelligence Things

Middle age is when you stop criticizing the older generation and start criticizing the younger one.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Age Definitions

Against logic there is no armor like ignorance.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Intelligence

The incompetent with nothing to do can still make a mess of it.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Intelligence Problems Stupidity

Middle age is when anything new in the way you feel is most likely a symptom.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Age

Political success is the ability, when the inevitable occurs, to get credit for it.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Politics Success

I have to spend so much time explaining to Americans that I am not English and to Englishmen that I am not American that I have little time left to be Canadian.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
America Canada England Places

Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Sleep Work

Work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Success Work

If at first you don't succeed, lie, lie again.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Characteristics Honesty Lies

Cleaning anything involves making something else dirty, but anything can get dirty without something else getting clean.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Characteristics Situations

An actuary is someone who brings a fake bomb on a plane because that decreases the chances that there will be another bomb on the plane.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Occupations Work

Make three correct guesses consecutively and you will establish a reputation as an expert.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Intelligence

Old age is when you know all the answers, but nobody asks you the questions.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Age Definitions Old

If at first you don’t succeed, you may be at your level of incompetence already.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Success