Ernest Hemingway? Arnold Samuelson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The life of a famous writer is exhaustively scrutinized by academics who attempt to delineate the young scribe’s growth and maturation. Yet, the typical writer does not wish to be placed under a microscope. Apparently, a prominent author once said: It’s none of their business that …
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Quote Origin: Do Not Try To Explain Something Until You Are Sure There Is Something To Be Explained
Ray Hyman? James Alcock? Jeane Dixon? Murray Rothbard? William Spiller? J. Bricout? R. S. Bailey? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Remarkable stories of supernatural phenomena are sometimes inaccurate, exaggerated, or fraudulent. The following pertinent saying circulates within the skeptics community: Do not try to explain something until you are sure there is something to be …
Diet Advice Origin: At a Certain Age, You Have To Choose Between Your Face and Your Behind
Catherine Deneuve? Kathleen Turner? Francoise de la Renta? Carolina Herrera? Ida Jean Kain? Erma Bombeck? Elizabeth Taylor? Meryl Streep? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: It is common for an individual to gain weight while growing older. Yet, dieting to maintain a slim body can inadvertently produce a face that looks angular or gaunt. Here are …
Quote Origin: The Programming Occupation Will Become Extinct
Herbert A. Simon? Eric Schmidt? Andrej Karpathy? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The capabilities of artificial intelligence systems continue to grow in 2025. Complex computer programs can now be generated from prompts uttered in English, Chinese, and other natural languages. Here are two predictions separated by sixty-five years: (1) It is far more likely that …
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Dialogue Origin: “When Will This Futuristic System Be Built?” “Ten Years After You’ve Stopped Laughing”
Arthur Kantrowitz? Gerard K. O’Neill? Timothy Leary? Arthur C. Clarke? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Grand futuristic projects such as the following four examples have been greeted with a mixture of hope, excitement, skepticism, and derision: (1) Laser propulsion systems for spacecraft(2) Space-based solar power systems(3) Space habitats with thousands or millions of people(4) Space …
Quote Origin: When You Are Up To Your Ass in Alligators, It Is Hard To Remember That Your Original Intention Was To Drain the Swamp
Kansas Cooperative Council? Lance Burr? Betty Hutton? Jim Briggs? John Rankin? Boris Yavitz? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: One encounters numerous obstacles when working toward the completion of an ambitious goal. It is necessary to keep the final objective in mind to make progress. A humorous statement highlights the troubles one must circumvent: When you …
Quote Origin: I Don’t Think I’ve Really Seen an Anti-War Film. Every Film About War Ends Up Being Pro-War
François Truffaut? Sam Mendes? Steven Spielberg? Gene Siskel? Roger Ebert? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The excitement, violence, and brutality of films about war often causes confusion in the minds of movie goers. Even when a director’s avowed stance is anti-war the visceral reaction of viewers might be very different. A prominent director once said something …
Quote Origin: The Genius, Wit, and Spirit of a Nation Are Discovered in Its Proverbs
Francis Bacon? Samuel Palmer? James Kelly? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Valuable insights into cultures may be obtained by studying popular proverbs. The English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon has been credited with the following statement: The genius, wit, and spirit of a nation are discovered in its proverbs. I am skeptical of this attribution …
Adage Origin: Men Fear Women Will Laugh at Them; Women Fear Men Will Kill Them
Margaret Atwood? Ingrid Koenig? Naomi Wolf? Gavin de Becker? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Each of us experiences different fears. A popular feminist saying presents divergent dreads: Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them. This saying has been attributed to prominent Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood, U.S. feminist …
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Pun Origin: A Piece of Cod Which Passeth All Understanding
Edwin Lutyens? Arthur Wimperis? Geoffrey Willans? John Poole? Malcolm Sterling Mackinlay? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A wit at a restaurant was served a plate of cod which looked unappetizing. The rejected fish inspired this memorably hilarious pun: A piece of cod which passeth all understanding. The wordplay was based on a biblical verse: The …
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