Henry Ford

When I went to our American history books to learn how our forefathers harrowed the land, I discovered that the historians knew nothing about harrows. Yet our country has depended more on harrows than on guns or speeches. I thought that a history which excluded harrows, and all the rest of daily life, was bunk. And I think so yet.

From the start I had my own ideas about how the business should run. I wanted it to benefit everybody who contributed to its success-stockholders, labor and the American public.

Mr. Edison was comfortably well off-he was not a money maker.

A happy and contented nation is an example to the whole world. Where there is contentment there must be peace.

I believe that any stock that is sold should have real value as automobile or bushel of potatoes, and stock market should be run as a vegetable market.

Poetry without music may be beautiful, but music gives poetry wings and elevates it into song. That may be the reason for our love of song-it has wings and lifts us; with proper songs, it is a nourishing spiritual exercise.

Greatest thing we can produce is character. Everything else can be taken from us, but not our character.

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.

My view is, first you get them to laugh, then you get them to listen. So I’m always game for a good joke, and I’m not so formal in this role. There’s very little that we can’t do that people wouldn’t appreciate.

Idleness is the reason for many of our troubles.

Learn when’s a good time to shut up.

Pardon me if I haunt you tonight.

The only true test of values, either of men or of things, is that of their ability to make the world a better place in which to live.

I think; therefore I am.

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge.

Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.

I think you’re running into a lot of trouble if your idea of foreplay is, ‘Brace yourself honey, here I come!’

I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little farther down our particular path than we have yet gone ourselves.

Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.

Every situation needs a hero. Step up and be that for your child.

The more you know, the more you realise how much you don’t know — the less you know, the more you think you know.