Winston Churchill? Samuel Johnson? James Boswell? Aristotle? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The rights and freedoms enshrined in political documents are sometimes nullified by oppressive governments. The health of a society depends on the principles and the bravery of the populace. Here is a pertinent adage: Courage is the first of human qualities because it …
Monthly Archives: July 2019
Quote Origin: The Fellow Who Thinks He Knows It All Is Especially Annoying To Those of Us Who Do
Isaac Asimov? Harold Coffin? Unitarian Church Bulletin? Robert Reisner? Joey Adams? Milton Berle? Robert K. Mueller? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Know-it-alls are eager to assert their expertise on all subjects. I love the following comical reaction to grandiose egotism: Those who believe they know everything are a great nuisance to those of us who …
Quote Origin: Anyone Who Believes Exponential Growth Can Go On Forever in a Finite World Is Either a Madman or an Economist
Kenneth Boulding? Paul Ehrlich? David Attenborough? Mancur Olson? Wayne H. Davis? Jay W. Forrester? John S. Steinhart? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Population size, energy use, and gross domestic product (GDP) have grown exponentially for limited time periods within some nations; however, these trends are complex. Economies sometimes shrink; per-capita energy use sometimes declines; human …
Quote Origin: A True Work of Art Takes at Least an Hour
Charles Schulz? Lucy van Pelt? Linus van Pelt? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Recently, while watching videos presenting art tutorials online I was amazed at the quality of rapidly created drawings. Yet, I was reminded of a “Peanuts” comic strip from decades ago that claimed a genuine artwork cannot be created in less than one …
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Quote Origin: It Is Perhaps a More Fortunate Destiny To Have a Taste for Collecting Shells Than To Be Born a Millionaire
Robert Louis Stevenson? Florence Davies? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson is best known for his famous novels, e.g., “Treasure Island” and “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. He believed that an individual should be invigorated by desires, interests, and aspirations otherwise he or she will lead a …
Quote Origin: If You Seek Revenge You Should Dig Two Graves
Confucius? Japanese Proverb? Chinese Proverb? William Elliot Griffis? Jeff Bezos? Question for Quote Investigator: Seeking vengeance can backfire on an individual and lead to additional pain and suffering. The founding CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, referenced a powerful cautionary proverb about revenge during an interview in 2016 although he expressed uncertainty about its origin: It’s …
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Quote Origin: Time Is What Keeps Everything From Happening At Once
Albert Einstein? Ray Cummings? Mark Twain? Arthur C. Clarke? John Archibald Wheeler? Arthur Power Dudden? Susan Sontag? Question for Quote Investigator: Albert Einstein has received credit for a humorous remark about time: The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once. Would you please explore the provenance of this quip? Reply …
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Quote Origin: Tact Is the Art of Recognizing When To Be Big and When Not To Belittle
Zig Ziglar? Charles Thompkins? Dana Robbins? Bob Talbert? Choupique? Bill Copeland? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There is a fun definition of “tact” that employs a pun which contrasts the terms “be big” and “belittle”. I saw this humorous statement in a book by the prominent motivational author Zig Ziglar. Would you please explore this …
Quote Origin: Fame Is a Vapor; Popularity an Accident; Riches Take Wings
Mark Twain? Horace Greeley? N. D. Hillis? Question for Quote Investigator: Two interesting quotations begin with the same phrases but diverge to emphasize different ideas of impermanence: Fame is a vapor; popularity an accident; the only earthly certainty is oblivion. Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today will …
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