# Help me find "Inherit the Wind" quote

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 5, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781 "2009-06-05T04:02:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781/1 "2009-06-05T04:02:25Z")

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I’m trying to find a quote online from the play **Inherit the Wind**. It’s Henry Drummond’s closing argument to the jury, where he’s talking about the hidden costs and ultimate benefits of all progress, along the lines of “Sir, you can fly in an airplane, but the clouds will forever be tinged with the smell of gasoline. Madam, you now have the vote, but can never again hide behind the powder puff. You will now know the origins of mankind, but at the cost of the poetry of Genesis.” Does this ring any bells? I couldn’t find it googling “Inherit the Wind quotes” or through IMDB’s Memorable Quotes feature.

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**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781/2 "2009-06-05T04:34:10Z")

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Here is a clip of the scene you’re looking for:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vtNdYsoool8/hqdefault.jpg "Inherit the Wind scene, creationism vs. evolution") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtNdYsoool8)

The bit you mention starts at about 1:30 in.

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781/3 "2009-06-05T06:07:33Z")

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One of my favorite moments from one of my favorite movies. [Here](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechinheritthewind.html).

> [@](#):
>
> Gentlemen, progress has never been a bargain. You have to pay for it. Sometimes I think there’s a man who sits behind a counter and says, “Alright, you can have a telephone, but you lose privacy and the charm of distance.” “Madam, you may vote, but at a price. You lose the right to retreat behind the powder-puff or your petticoat.” “Mr., you may conquer the air, but the birds will lose their wonder and the clouds will smell of gasoline.” Darwin took us forward to a hilltop from where we could look back and see the way from which we came, but for this insight, and for this knowledge, we must abandon our faith in the pleasant poetry of Genesis."

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781/4 "2009-06-05T06:38:45Z")

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Thanks, that’s it exactly!

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-inherit-the-wind-quote/498781/5 "2009-06-05T08:08:40Z")

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> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> One of my favorite moments from one of my favorite movies. [Here](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechinheritthewind.html).

I totally agree.