Ellen DeGeneres? Woody Allen? Joe Doyle? The Flying Karamazov Brothers? George Burns? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There is a joke based on the biblical creation story that contains the famous line “Let there be light”. The punch line of the gag is: There was still nothing. But you could see it a whole lot …
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Quote Origin: The Opposite of Courage Is Not Cowardice; It Is Conformity
Rollo May? Earl Nightingale? Jim Hightower? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Uncommon or unconventional thoughts and behaviors can elicit hostility. To avoid estrangement many people consciously or unconsciously conform to societal expectations. Pursuing an individual path requires bravery and determination. Consider the following adage: The opposite of courage isn’t cowardice; it’s conformity. This notion has …
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Quote Origin: Statistics Are No Substitution for Judgment
Henry Clay Sr.? Henry Clay? Sar A. Levitan? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: This is the era of big data, and organizations are performing myriad statistical calculations; however, this surfeit of numbers can be misleading. Thoughtful discernment is required to see beyond current information as suggested by the following adage: Statistics are no substitute for …
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Quote Origin: Wear a Smile and Have Friends; Wear a Scowl and Have Wrinkles
George Eliot? Mary Ann Evans? F. O. Hamilton? Lillie Langtry? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The following adage encourages sociability and the projection of happiness: Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. This statement has been credited to George Eliot, a popular Victorian era novelist whose real name was Mary …
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Quote Origin: What Do We Live For, If It Is Not To Make Life Less Difficult To Each Other?
George Eliot? Mary Ann Evans? F. O. Hamilton? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: George Eliot was a prominent English novelist of the Victorian era. The author’s real name was Mary Ann Evans. The following remark has been ascribed to her: What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for each …
Quote Origin: A Man Who Is His Own Lawyer Has a Fool for a Client
Abraham Lincoln? William De Britaine? Roger L’Estrange? Italian Proverb? Benjamin Franklin? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Evaluating complex legal issues requires expertise. Abraham Lincoln reportedly employed the following adage. Here are two versions: Would you please explore this topic? Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest partial match known to QI appeared in the 1682 book …
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Quote Origin: He Who Acts as His Own Doctor Has a Fool for a Patient
Roger L’Estrange? William Grant? John Bristed? William J. Flagg? William Osler? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A person with a serious malady should be very cautious about treating himself or herself. This holds true even if the person is a physician. Here are some versions of a pertinent adage: Would you please explore the provenance …
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Quote Origin: You Will Continue To Suffer If You Have an Emotional Reaction To Everything
Warren Buffett? Bruce Lee? Cindy Flores? Sylvester McNutt III? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A paragraph of advice about maintaining equanimity is popular on social media. Here is the first sentence: You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. These words have been attributed to …
Quote Origin: Television Is Called a Medium Because It’s Never Well Done
Groucho Marx? Fred Waring? Ed Gardner? Goodman Ace? Jane Ace? Fred Allen? Ernie Kovacs? Deane Binder? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The number of scripted television shows has grown dramatically in recent years and so have the plaudits. Yet, from its earliest days the medium has always attracted scorn. Here are three examples of lacerating …
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Quote Origin: Honesty Is the 1st Chapter in the Book of Wisdom
Thomas Jefferson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A large number of the quotations attributed to Thomas Jefferson are apocryphal; hence, I have learned to be cautious. Do you know whether the following remark is from the pen of Jefferson? Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom. Any help would be appreciated. Reply from …
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