Alfred Hitchcock? François Truffaut? Grace Kelly? Sam Mendes? Question for Quote Investigator: Director Alfred Hitchcock was a master of suspense and horror. For decades his filmmaking techniques have been closely studied by other directors, screenwriters, and critics. One observer uncovered a disquieting connection between Hitchcock’s portrayal of homicide and intimacy: The murder scenes are filmed …
Author Archives: quoteresearch
Quote Origin: Talent Is Like Electricity
Maya Angelou? Claudia Tate? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: An insightful simile likens the creative talent displayed by an individual while dancing, composing, teaching, or singing to electricity. This figure of speech has been attributed to Renaissance woman Maya Angelou. Would you please explore this topic? Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1983 Claudia Tate edited …
Quote Origin: Tact Is the Ability To Describe Others As They See Themselves
Mary Pettibone Poole? Abraham Lincoln? Aldous Huxley? Eleanor Chaffee? Apocryphal? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The ability to perceive others as they see themselves is an enormously helpful guide for smooth and productive interactions. Here is a pertinent adage: Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves. This saying has been attributed …
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Quote Origin: Within a Generation … the Problems of Creating Artificial Intelligence Will Be Substantially Solved
Marvin Minsky? Herbert A. Simon? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A top researcher in computer science in the 1960s contended that the problem of building machines with artificial intelligence (AI) would be largely solved within a generation. A statement of this type has been attributed to Marvin Minsky of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Would …
Quote Origin: What’s Not Going To Change in the Next 10 Years?
Jeff Bezos? Wolfgang R. Schmitt? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Business leaders in technology-based companies are often asked for ten year predictions of change. Apparently, Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, once responded by spinning the inquiry. He said there was a more important question: What’s not going to change in the next 10 years? He …
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Quote Origin: Find the Good. It’s All Around You. Find It, Showcase It, and You’ll Start Believing in It
Jesse Owens? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: It is easy to find negative stories. News reports constantly highlight them. I prefer the following guidance: Find the good. It’s all around you. Showcase it. This saying has been credited to acclaimed athlete Jesse Owens who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. …
Quote Origin: The Best Way To Become a Billionaire Is To Help a Billion People
Peter H. Diamandis? Ankur Jain? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: One path to achieving great wealth is by building a vital new product or performing a widely needed service. Here are three versions of a pertinent adage: This saying has been ascribed to author and entrepreneur Peter H. Diamandis who founded the XPRIZE Foundation. Would …
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Quote Origin: He Is a Great Rascal. Ah! But He Is Our Rascal
Franklin D. Roosevelt? Abraham Lincoln? Thaddeus Stevens? Benjamin Butler? Philip Cook? Bill Higgins? John Franklin Carter? Justin Herman? Wayne Hays? Alistair Cooke? Cordell Hull? Anonymous? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A participant in the harsh domain of political power often faces difficult decisions. For example, should one promote a member of one’s party even when …
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Quote Origin: One Must Have a Heart of Stone To Read the Death of Little Nell Without Laughing
Oscar Wilde? Ada Leverson? Hesketh Pearson? Leslie Stokes? Sewell Stokes? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Charles Dickens published “The Old Curiosity Shop” in 1841. Nell Trent (Little Nell) was the virtuous child protagonist of the tale. The book was extremely popular, and most contemporary readers were saddened when they learned of Nell’s demise. Yet, some …
Quote Origin: You Cannot Define a Person On Just One Thing. You Can’t Just Forget All These Wonderful and Good Things That a Person Has Done
Aretha Franklin? Whitney Houston? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The reputation and legacy of an individual can be seriously damaged by a single misstep. The advent of social media networks has supercharged the transmission of detrimental material. Apparently, U.S. singer Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, once called for more empathy and understanding. She stated …