Mignon McLaughlin? Alan Sheldon? Stephen R. Covey? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Receiving criticism is painful even when it is described as constructive. The witty journalist Mignon McLaughlin made a germane comment on this theme. Would you please help me to find a citation. Quote Investigator: In 1960 the unnamed columnist of “Thoughts and Things” in …
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The Only Beautiful Eyes Are Those That Look At Us Tenderly
Coco Chanel? Gabrielle Chanel? Pierre Reverdy? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The eyes of a lover gazing at you are beautiful. The fashion icon Coco Chanel (Gabrielle Chanel) said something germane: The only beautiful eyes are those that look at us tenderly. Would you please help me to find a citation for the original statement in …
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The Great Tragedy of Science—The Slaying of a Beautiful Hypothesis by an Ugly Fact
Thomas Henry Huxley? Charles Darwin? Herbert Spencer? Benjamin Franklin? John Dougall? John Tyndall? Dear Quote Investigator: An elaborate and magnificent scientific theory can completely collapse if a contradictory fact is uncovered. A prominent scientist called this methodological occurrence one of great tragedies of science. Would you please explore this topic? Quote Investigator: In 1870 biologist …
It Is Easier to Bamboozle People Than It Is To Unbamboozle Them
John Maynard Keynes? Norman Angell? Carter Field? Lionel Robbins? Malcolm W. Bingay? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: With time and effort it is possible to bamboozle people, i.e., to fool or mislead them. Unfortunately, this process of deception can be so thorough that it is impossible to debamboozle them, i.e., to convince them of the truth. …
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Our Homes Are Our Prisons; Let Us Find Freedom in Their Decoration
Coco Chanel? Gabrielle Chanel? Pierre Reverdy? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: People spend many hours in their homes. The fashion icon Coco Chanel (Gabrielle Chanel) recommended beautifying one’s abode. She said something like this: Our homes are our prisons; one finds liberty in their decoration. This saying resonates powerfully in 2020 because of the Covid-19 restrictions. …
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What Would Remain of Our Tragedies If a Literate Insect Were To Offer Us Hers?
Emil M. Cioran? W. H. Auden? Louis Kronenberger? Richard Howard? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Humans experience many tragedies, but contemplating the extreme hardships faced by other creatures provides a sobering perspective. The Romanian and French literary figure Emil M. Cioran said something like the following: What would be left of our tragedies if an insect …
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The Only Person You Are Destined To Become Is the Person You Decide To Be
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Nike Advertisement? Janet Champ? Charlotte Moore? Wieden & Kennedy? Pam Finger? Dear Quote Investigator: Some people fear that their genes or social circumstances will restrict their life options and push them inexorably toward a foreordained destiny. An inspirational message presents a radically different viewpoint: The only person you are destined to become …
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Even Stones Have a Love, A Love That Seeks the Ground
Meister Eckhart? C. De B. Evans? Victor Gollancz? George William Target? Sharon Blackie? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Some philosophers believe that mentality is ubiquitous in the universe. Thus, it is possible to assign volition to every entity, and even inanimate objects have a purpose. For example, an apple that falls from a tree might be …
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To Die for an Idea Is To Place a Very High Price Upon Conjecture
Anatole France? François Rabelais? Michel de Montaigne? Lewis Piaget Shanks? Will Durant? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The French Nobel laureate Anatole France was skeptical of martyrdom. Here are three versions of a statement attributed to him: To die for an idea is to set a pretty high value on conjectures. To die for an idea …
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If I Can Make About Five Good Scenes and Not Annoy the Audience, It’s an Awfully Good Picture
Howard Hawks? Martin Kasindorf? Alejandro Jodorowsky? Gene Siskel? Roger Ebert? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Howard Hawks was a leading director during the Golden Age of Hollywood. His oeuvre included “Scarface”, “Bringing Up Baby”, “The Big Sleep”, and “His Girl Friday”. He was never pretentious, and he followed a pragmatic strategy for creating his hugely successful …