"What is a poet? An unhappy man who in his heart harbors a deep anguish, but whose lips are so fashioned that the moans and cries which pass over them are transformed into ravishing music...And men crowd about the poet and say to him, "Sing for us soon again" - which is as much to say, "May new sufferings torment your soul, but may your lips be fashioned as before; for the cries would only distress us, but the music, the music is delightful." And the critics come forward and say, "That is perfectly done - just as it should be, according to the rules of aesthetics." Now, it is understood that a critic resembles a poet to a hair; he only lacks the anguish in heart and the music upon his lips. I tell you, I would rather be a swineherd, understood by the swine, than a poet misunderstood by men."

- haven't finished thinking that one over, but it's pretty, and also:

      '"Do you wish for youth," said Mercury, "or for beauty, or power, or a long life; or do you wish for the most beautiful woman, or any other of the many fine things we have in our treasure trove? Choose, but only one thing!" For a moment I was at a loss. Then I addressed the gods in this wise: "Most honorable contemporaries, I choose one thing—that I may always have the laughs on my side."'
- Soren Kierkegaard, Either/Or

The Order of the Stick - I promised myself I wouldn't get stuck reading another slew of webcomic archives. But this one is funny. Okay, to qualify, it's funny if you have any knowledge of D+D; otherwise it's probably nonsensical.