Around the campfires of yesteryear, cowboys spun yarns and shared laughs. Will Rogers perfected this storytelling art form and carried it to the stages of the world, delivering down-home humor into the heart of humanity and history of the world. Without rancor or design, Will debunked the mighty and reined in the foibles of government and follies of mankind. Humor was his tool. His insight became the hallmark of his time and permeated generations that came later. Clear and concise, pointed but not barbed, Will Rogers made sense. Without staff writers or editors, Will’s spontaneous, folksy wit was published, performed on stage, recorded on phonograph, broadcast on radio and captured in cinema.

Enjoy some quotes from the ‘Cowboy Philosopher’ accompanied by some relevant quips.

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.”

Does good judgment trump experience? "Wisely-processed" experience can contribute to judgment. But past experience can also prevent wise judgments. Without it, a person can proceed with fresh insight "unfettered by experience."

“A Man only learns by two things, one is reading, and the other is association with smarter people.”

Does being highly educated automatically make you highly intelligent? People aren’t born smart. They become smart. And to become smart you need a well-defined set of skills. Then you can hang around with whoever you want. You can also bluff but it takes being smart to pull that one off.

“This would be a great time in the world for some man to come along that knew something.”

‘SOMETHING’ --- extrapolate and expound.

“There ain’t nothing to life but satisfaction.”

“I can’t get no satisfaction.” OR try this … http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/07/17/top-10-proven-ways-to-improve-life-satisfaction/

“For that's all there is to success is satisfaction.”

“I still can’t get no satisfaction.”

“Live your life so that whenever you lose, you are ahead.”

What does it mean to be one step ahead of the game?  Well, the answer lies within you. It is completely up to you to decide whether you want to be ahead of the game or not. You have to be aware that doing something just a little bit better than everyone else puts you in a totally different position of advantage than everyone else, but you have to be willing to leverage that knowledge.

“When ignorance gets started, it knows no bounds. … Everybody is ignorant. Only on different subjects.”

Human beings are very bad at thinking rationally in a group, particularly if fear is introduced. Blind panic was no doubt very useful as we were evolving on the African plains. If someone yelled "lion", you wouldn't survive very long if you stopped and said "are you sure....?”  But that same inbuilt response means that fear and panic are easily triggered in environmental debates, debates that should be rational.

Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

“A fanatic is always the fellow that is on the opposite side.”

He who knows not and knows not he knows not, He is a fool - Shun him.

He who knows not and knows he knows not, He is simple - Teach him.

He who knows and knows not he knows, he is asleep - Awaken him.

He who knows and knows that he knows, He is wise - Follow him.

- Chinese proverb

“A thing that is free is of no earthly importance.”

The best things in life are free.

“History ain’t what it is. It’s what some writer wanted it to be.”

The 10 biggest lies in history:

10. The Trojan Horse

  9. SchemeHan van Meegeren's Vermeer Forgeries

  8. Bernie Madoff's Ponzi  

  7. Anna Anderson, Alias Anastasia

  6. Titus Oates and the Plot to Kill Charles II

  5. Piltdown Man

  4. The Dreyfus Affair

  3. Clinton/Lewinsky Affair

  2. Watergate

  1. The Big Lie: Nazi Propaganda

“Every man’s religion is good. There is none of it bad. We are all trying to arrive at the same place according to our own conscience and teachings. It don’t matter which road you take.”

No further explanation or additives needed.