# The ethics of deliberate misattribution **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101 "2012-10-18T05:15:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/21 "2013-02-17T11:36:08Z")
Red Bull gives you wings ? Bullshit ! Icarus ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/22 "2013-02-18T00:20:44Z")
I don’t see the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/23 "2013-02-18T00:22:04Z")
(I’ve been known to use “Thank heaven for little girls”–Humbert Humbert but people complained) ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/24 "2013-02-18T00:57:53Z")
You have to be careful, it could go horribly wrong. For example “Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened” wouldn’t sound as nice if Elie Wiesel said it. ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/25 "2013-02-18T10:57:59Z")
Icarus, who drowned because of failed wings, is mocking the Red Bull’s slogan ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/26 "2013-02-18T11:02:16Z")
Good Girls Go to Heaven. Bad Girls Go Everywhere " Lolita ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/27 "2013-02-19T13:38:05Z")
My phrase “Let them eat cake " was definitely half- baked … ” - Marie Antoinette ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/28 "2013-02-20T16:44:06Z")
'Don’t bite off more than you can chew … " - Mike Tyson ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/29 "2013-02-20T17:23:24Z")
I guess I’m the only one who misread the title thinking “misattribution” was, well, something else that has similar letters but means something completely different… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/30 "2013-02-20T18:22:53Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > No need to attribute anything to Oscar Wilde. It’s implied. > > “If, with the literate, I am > Impelled to try an epigram, > I never seek to take the credit; > We all assume that Oscar said it.” > > – Dorothy Parker …which, of course, raises the question of whether Dorothy Parkrer, herself frequently given false credit, actually said that. Wikiquotes says she did, and gives the source as **Life** 2 June 1927, p. 13, which gives me some confidence > **[Dorothy Parker - Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dorothy_Parker)** ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/31 "2013-02-20T20:09:09Z")
No Paine, no gain … " - George Washington ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/32 "2013-02-21T09:40:00Z")
Marriage is the dark side of the honeymoon … " Marilyn Monroe ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/33 "2013-02-21T10:50:38Z")
Scratch a lover, and find a foe … " Marilyn’s proposed epitaph for herself ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/34 "2013-02-22T11:09:19Z")
When it rains, it pours … " - Napoleon Bonaparte ( just as torrential rain set in for the night on June 18. 1815 in Waterloo ) ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/35 "2013-02-22T15:17:37Z")
I wish I could take a raincheck on June 18.1815 … " - Napoleon Bonaparte on St. Helena ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/36 "2013-02-23T03:40:02Z")
I wish I remained undefeated rain or shine … " - Napoleon Bonaparte on St. Helena ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/37 "2013-02-23T04:33:26Z")
“Après moi, le déluge” (“After me, the deluge") … " - Napoleon Bonaparte after Waterloo ---
**Author:** ![Yury\_Lobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3e96dc/32.png) [@Yury\_Lobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yury_Lobo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/38 "2013-02-23T04:39:10Z")
“Après moi, de Waterloo ” (“After me, Waterloo ") … " - Napoleon Bonaparte proposed epitaph for himself ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/39 "2013-02-23T05:50:22Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I guess I’m the only one who misread the title thinking “misattribution” was, well, something else that has similar letters but means something completely different… So maybe it **does** affect your eyesight after all. – Stevie Wonder ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101/40 "2013-02-23T08:40:45Z")
> [@Yury\_Lobo](#): > > “Après moi, le déluge” (“After me, the deluge") … " > > - Napoleon Bonaparte > after Waterloo Assuming Waterloo is some sort of disaster caused by flooding toilets :dubious:, wouldn’t it be “Avant moi, le déluge”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-deliberate-misattribution/638101.md?page=3)