Have the courage to be ignorant of a great number of things, in order to avoid the calamity of being ignorant of everything. Sydney Smith
People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. Carl Jung
I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own tastes. Marcel Duchamp
Optimism has always seemed to me the cunning alibi of egoists, anxious to cover up their state of chronic self-satisfaction. They are optimists in order to avoid pitying other men and their misfortune. ~~ Yet pity is a vexed question. Georges Bernanos
It is a clear gain to sacrifice pleasure in order to avoid pain. Arthur Schopenhauer
I always anticipated difficulties in order to avoid scenes. Gloria Swanson