Tracing Quotations
Arthur C. Clarke? Gene Youngblood? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: While reading about the economic notion of a universal basic income I came across a statement attributed to the farsighted science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke advocating the goal of “full unemployment” instead of “full employment”. Clarke felt that the computers and robots of the …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: The Goal of the Future Is Full Unemployment, So We Can Play”
Sergey Brin? Stacy Sullivan? Hiroshi Yamauchi? Paul Buchheit? Amit Patel? Marissa Mayer? Organization: Google? Nintendo? Student Pugwash Conference? Question for Quote Investigator: Google was founded in 1998, and after a few years one of its employees suggested the following company motto: Don’t be evil. Would you please explore the provenance of this slogan? Reply from …
Mark Twain? William Morris? Edward Dicey? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Skeptics have questioned the economic viability of small isolated or insular communities by derisively envisioning rudimentary economies based on simple tasks, e.g., individuals would wash clothes for one another. This notion has been credited to humorist Mark Twain and socialist activist William Morris. In …
Pogo? Walt Kelly? Porky Pine? Albert Alligator? Elbert Hubbard? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Walt Kelly created the landmark comic strip “Pogo” which combined beautiful artwork with entertaining humor. One strip contained a philosophical remark suggesting that one should not take life too seriously because of its transience. Would you please help me to find …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Don’t Take Life So Serious, Son … It Ain’t Nohow Permanent”
Creator: George R. R. Martin, popular author of fantasy, horror, and science fiction who also works as a screenwriter and television producer; he is best known for the television series “Game of Thrones” adapted from the book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” Context: In 2011 George R. R. Martin published “A Dance with …
Creator: Louis L’Amour, very popular novelist who primarily wrote about the American Old West Context: In 1989 Louis L’Amour published a memoir titled “Education of a Wandering Man”. He eloquently expressed an idea that other writers of fiction and non-fiction have stated. Emphasis added: It is often said that one has but one life to …
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Elbert Hubbard? Napoleon Bonaparte? Dale Carnegie? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Self-help books encourage people to act with confidence and assurance because apprehension can block progress. I once read the following motivational statement: Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world. These words were attributed to the famous …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Fear Defeats More People than Any Other One Thing in the World”
Dorothy L. Sayers? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Gossip mongers are obsessed with identifying and publicizing the latest carnal pairings of celebrities. The acclaimed mystery writer Dorothy L. Sayers composed a short poem expressing disinterest in this subject, and I have seen two distinct versions of her humorous four lines. Would you please help me …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: As Years Come In and Years Go Out, I Totter Toward the Tomb”
Dorothy Parker? Susan Sontag? Alix Nelson? Ross Macdonald? Kenneth Millar? Tom Samet? Edmund Wilson? Anne Ruggles Gere? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Yesterday, while reading an acerbic episode within a stylish memoir I recalled the following adage: Writing well is the best revenge. These words are often credited to the famous wit Dorothy Parker, but …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Writing Well Is the Best Revenge”
Speaker: George Dixon? Ann Richards? Vito Marcantonio? Oliver Herford? Target: Harold Ickes? George H. W. Bush? Newbold Morris? Jones? Question for Quote Investigator: A person who is born into a wealthy and successful family is “born with a silver spoon in his or her mouth” according to a longstanding idiom. There is a funny variant …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Born with a Silver Foot in His or Her Mouth”