# A Confederacy of Dunces Tags: #literature ## Metadata * Author: [John Kennedy Toole and Walker Percy](https://www.amazon.comundefined) * ASIN: B008UX2UIO * ISBN: 198775848X * Reference: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UX2UIO * [Kindle link](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO) ## Highlights Having once been so high, humanity fell so low. What had once been dedicated to the soul was now dedicated to the sale. — location: [465](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=465) ^ref-42899 --- The Great Chain of Being had snapped like so many paper clips strung together by some drooling idiot; death, destruction, anarchy, progress, ambition, and self-improvement were to be Piers’ new fate. And a vicious fate it was to be: now he was faced with the perversion of having to GO TO WORK. — location: [473](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=473) ^ref-45355 --- So we see that even when Fortuna spins us downward, the wheel sometimes halts for a moment and we find ourselves in a good, small cycle within the larger bad cycle. The universe, of course, is based upon the principle of the circle within the circle. At the moment, I am in an inner circle. Of course, smaller circles within this circle are also possible. — location: [1170](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=1170) ^ref-29259 --- In spite of all to which they have been subjected, Negroes are nonetheless a rather pleasant folk for the most part. I really have had little to do with them, for I mingle with my peers or no one, and since I have no peers, I mingle with no one. Upon speaking with several of the workers, all of whom seemed eager to speak with me, I discovered that they received even less pay than Miss Trixie. — location: [1863](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=1863) ^ref-60693 --- What I want is a good, strong monarchy with a tasteful and decent king who has some knowledge of theology and geometry and to cultivate a Rich Inner Life.” — location: [3211](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=3211) ^ref-16425 --- [After all, I do not believe that one must necessarily scrape bottom, as it were, in order to view his society subjectively. Rather than moving vertically downward, one may move horizontally outward toward a point of sufficient detachment where a modicum of creature comforts are not necessarily precluded. — location: [3434](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=3434) ^ref-52787 --- Degeneracy, rather than signaling the downfall of a society, as it once did, will now signal peace for a troubled world. We must have new solutions to new problems. — location: [4078](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=4078) ^ref-48833 --- “You could just rest, honey. You could write some stuff in your little copybooks.” “They would try to make me into a moron who liked television and new cars and frozen food. Don’t you understand? Psychiatry is worse than communism. I refuse to be brainwashed. I won’t be a robot!” — location: [4610](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=4610) ^ref-42093 --- “Do you think that I have a problem?” Ignatius bellowed. “The only problem that those people have anyway is that they don’t like new cars and hair sprays. That’s why they are put away. They make the other members of the society fearful. Every asylum in this nation is filled with poor souls who simply cannot stand lanolin, cellophane, plastic, television, and subdivisions.” — location: [4613](kindle://book?action=open&asin=B008UX2UIO&location=4613) ^ref-2765 ---