Mastodawn

By definition, humor is gentle. The savage, the cruel, the harsh would fall under the heading of wit and/or satire, as the lawyers say. Now, my definitions are these: The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself, but in so doing, he identifies himself with people — that is, people everywhere, not for the purpose of taking them apart, but simply revealing their true nature.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American humorist, cartoonist, writer
Interview (1959-03-24) by Edward R. Murrow, Small World, CBS-TV

More about this quote: wist.info/thurber-james/82802/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jamesthurber #comedy #humannature #humor #humorist #mockery #satire #selfmockery #senseofhumor #verbalabuse #wit

Thurber, James - Interview (1959-03-24) by Edward R. Murrow, Small World, CBS-TV | WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations

docnad 4d ago

A 1946 pony edition of The New Yorker was sent to servicemen overseas. It has a cover by James Thurber featuring several varieties of his dogs.

A Century of The New Yorker at the New York Public Library attemptedbloggery.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-cent… #JamesThurber #Dogs #TheNewYorker #NYPL

WIST Quotations Mar 18

A quotation from James Thurber

The past is an old armchair in the attic, the present an ominous ticking sound, and the future is anybody’s guess.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American humorist, cartoonist, writer
Letter (1961-07-05) to Marianna Brown

More about this quote: wist.info/thurber-james/82800/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jamesthurber #future #lookingahead #lookingback #past #prediction #present #prognostication #today #tomorrow #yesterday

Thurber, James - Letter (1961-07-05) to Marianna Brown | WIST Quotations

The past is an old armchair in the attic, the present an ominous ticking sound, and the future is anybody's guess.

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Mar 11

A quotation from James Thurber

America must learn that humor, whatever form it may take, can be one of our strongest allies, but it cannot flourish in a weather of fear and hysteria and intimidation.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American cartoonist and writer
Essay (1958-12-07), “State of the Nation’s Humor: ‘On the Brink of Was,'” New York Times Magazine

More about this quote: wist.info/thurber-james/82660/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jamesthurber #comedy #fear #freespeech #freedomofexpression #freedomofspeech #funniness #humor #hysteria #intimidation #senseofhumor

Thurber, James - Essay (1958-12-07), "State of the Nation's Humor: 'On the Brink of Was,'" New York Times Magazine | WIST Quotations

America must learn that humor, whatever form it may take, can be one of our strongest allies, but it cannot flourish in a weather of fear and hysteria and intimidation.

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Mar 3

A quotation from James Thurber

The laughter of man is more terrible than his tears, and takes more forms — hollow, heartless, mirthless, maniacal.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American cartoonist and writer
Essay (1958-12-07), “State of the Nation’s Humor: ‘On the Brink of Was,'” New York Times Magazine

More about this quote: wist.info/thurber-james/82477/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jamesthurber #emotion #laughter #tears #tone

Thurber, James - Essay (1958-12-07), "State of the Nation's Humor: 'On the Brink of Was,'" New York Times Magazine | WIST Quotations

The laughter of man is more terrible than his tears, and takes more forms -- hollow, heartless, mirthless, maniacal.

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Feb 25

A quotation from James Thurber

The nation that complacently and fearfully allows its artists and writers to become suspected rather than respected is no longer regarded as a nation possessed with humor or depth.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American cartoonist and writer
Essay (1958-12-07), “State of the Nation’s Humor: ‘On the Brink of Was,'” New York Times Magazine

More about this quote: wist.info/thurber-james/82297/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jamesthurber #artist #dissent #humor #nation #paranoia #RedScare #suspicion #writer #writing #comedy #censorship

Thurber, James - Essay (1958-12-07), "State of the Nation's Humor: 'On the Brink of Was,'" New York Times Magazine | WIST Quotations

The nation that complacently and fearfully allows its artists and writers to become suspected rather than respected is no longer regarded as a nation possessed with humor or depth.

WIST Quotations

Columbus - Feeds Feb 18

Thurber on Screen: Ohio Goes to the Movies celebrates a Columbus humorist Thursday - Olivia Arthur

Thurber on Screen: Ohio Goes to the Movies celebrates a Columbus humorist Thursday

Ohio’s literary history comes to life on screen as two films inspired by Columbus-born humorist James Thurber celebrate his lasting mark on American storytelling. 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States declaring independence. To celebrate, America 250-Ohio is hosting Ohio Goes to the Movies, a roughly 250-day-long statewide event highlighting films connected to […]

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