# Unexpected wisdom in pop culture **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604 "2003-03-27T20:36:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Giselle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Giselle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giselle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/61 "2003-03-30T04:17:36Z")
Damn, I was going to mention the _American Beauty_ quote but someone got to it before I did . . . Ah, well. One of my favourites is from _Jesus Christ Superstar_: “To conquer death, you only have to die.” And, of course, the wisdom of the beat poets: “god is a junkie and he is selling salvation for a week’s supply.” [i really wish i could remember who wrote this, but all i know is that it’s from part iv of “blues for sister sally.”] ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/62 "2003-03-30T05:25:21Z")
“Never try to outstubborn a cat” “What a wonderful world it is that has girls in it” “You live and learn or you don’t live long” “Never underestimate the power of human stupidity” L. Long (as reported by R. Heinlein) “He would not be able to get a clue if he went out into a field of horny clues during clue mating season, smeared his naked body with clue musk, and danced the ritual clue mating dance.” “Luna Marine” by Ian Douglas ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Second\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Echo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/63 "2003-03-30T05:49:36Z")
“Only when we’ve lost everything are we free to do anything.” –Tyler Durden in _Fight Club_ ---
**Author:** ![Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ersatz_Shmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/64 "2003-03-30T06:09:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Something I heard that Michael Moore said backstage after his, er, ‘speech’ (likely an urban legend, but it’s sweet) > > “Mr. Moore, why did you just say what you did?” > “Because I’m an American.” > “That’s it?” > “That’s a lot.” Yep, he really said it. Here’s the [video](http://www.oscars.com/oscarnight/winners/win_32297.html) . As for the OP, I was always partial to “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/65 "2003-03-30T06:11:18Z")
“But now old friends are acting strange. They shake their heads and say I’ve changed. But something’s lost and something’s gained when living life each day.” –Judy Collins _Both Sides Now_ “I don’t want the world, I just want your half.” –They Might Be Giants _Ana Ng_ ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/66 "2003-03-31T02:30:59Z")
“Where did we go wrong? When did we become the United States of Pussies? Why do we have to use ten words where one would do?” - Nick Fury “Forget Desert Storm. Nobody gets that much free pussy twice in one lifetime” - Fury “Maybe if the politicians and bureaucrats did their jobs as well as Fury did his, we wouldn’t need him.” - Sgt. Li “Scariest word in their language. Not one in a thousand knows how to spell it.” - Rudi Gargarin, re. Communism “Of course they’re invading. You didn’t believe that bullshit about just being here to observe, did you?” - Gargarin “I’m no fan of the UN, but better them in charge of this island than some Company [the federal government] bastard a thousand times worse than Makawao.” - Fury “They say he’s dumb, but what about the ones who let him near a microphone?” - Gargarin, re. a Dubya speech “So no World War III. Just an island firebombed off the map because the Pentagon wants to show who’s got the biggest dick.” - Fury “Think about it. What happened after you deposed the dictator or overthrew the corrupt regime? What happened every time you allowed democracy to flourish? **They all turned out to be as bad as each other, Nicky!** This world is such a fucking lie…” - Gargarin Honestly, please read the Fury “graphic novel” collection (it’s part of Marvel’s Max series, so you may need to do some searching) if you haven’t already. It’s like an entire mini-treatise on American politics in one volume. (And a hell of a story to boot.) ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/67 "2003-03-31T03:21:09Z")
“You can’t polish a turd, Beavis.”- Butthead. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/68 "2003-03-31T03:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DKW \* > \*\*“I’m no fan of the UN, but better them in charge of this island than some Company [the federal government] bastard a thousand times worse than Makawao.” - Fury \*\* Isn’t The Company the CIA? ---
**Author:** ![Simbelmyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Simbelmyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simbelmyne)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/69 "2003-03-31T04:21:52Z")
with an “Underdog Super Energy Pill.” ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/70 "2003-03-31T05:01:06Z")
“Rhaego fought honorably. Rhaego fought nobly. Rhaego fought bravely. And Rhaego died.” -George R. R. Martin, _A Storm of Swords_ ---
**Author:** ![j\_kat\_251](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@j\_kat\_251](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_kat_251)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/71 "2003-03-31T05:27:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Isn’t The Company the CIA? Yes. In different contexts a “Company man” would be a British guy in 19th Century India. ---
**Author:** ![Simbelmyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Simbelmyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simbelmyne)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/72 "2003-03-31T05:32:35Z")
Anakin Skywalker, AOTC ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/73 "2003-03-31T05:57:04Z")
“Tomorrow is another day” - Scarlett O’Hara. Okay, it’s hokey as hell, but look at the quote, not the context. Life goes on, right? ---
**Author:** ![Simbelmyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Simbelmyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simbelmyne)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/74 "2003-03-31T06:00:36Z")
?A burden you have been,? he answered, ?but not so now. Light as a swan?s feather in my claw you are. The sun shines through you. Indeed, I do not think you need me anymore: were I to let you fall, you would float upon the wind.?~Gwaihir, TTT For they did not move or speak with mouth, looking from mind to mind; and only their shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro.~ROTK Many of those trees were my friends, creatures I had known from nut and acorn; many had voices of their own that are lost forever now. And there are wastes of stump and bramble where once there were singing groves. I have been idle. I have let things slip. It must stop!~Treebeard, TTT ---
**Author:** ![tool462](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@tool462](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tool462)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/75 "2003-03-31T08:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Simbelmyne \* > \*\*Many of those trees were my friends, creatures I had known from nut and acorn; many had voices of their own that are lost forever now. And there are wastes of stump and bramble where once there were singing groves. I have been idle. I have let things slip. It must stop!~Treebeard, TTT \*\* Excellent quote. Particularly appropriate in today’s political climate… I’m amazed nobody has used this one yet: “It comes down to a simple choice: get busy living, or get busy dying.” – Andy Dufrain, _Shawshank Redemption_ “With great power comes great responsibility.” – Spiderman. I doubt this was the first place this quote was ever used, but I don’t know the original source. Oh, and hi all. This is my first post 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/76 "2003-03-31T13:29:55Z")
Hi tool462, afaik spiderman was the original source of that line. Here are a few quotations I like: “Honor, when it’s easy or you can’t avoid it anyway, tastes better than food or drink. When you don’t want it, it eats at you, day and night.” Moran, a solamnic knight from Tales of the Dragonlance II v.1 page 78. “Remember yesterday and think about tomorrow, but you have to live today” From a song by Hammerfall. “Life just ain’t no sunday morning brunch!” Words of wisdom from a friend of mine. “Luke, you will find that many of the truths we kling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode VI And here are a few of my own lines: “I am going to pass the exam… Simply because I _have to_” And I did 😉 “It’s a pity that good taste isn’t contagious.” “Sometimes life is just like TV - when the commercials are due, it always looks hopeless, but in the end the good guys do win after all!” “You always have to write your own utilities.” Perhaps this last one isn’t valid anymore in this day and age. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/77 "2003-03-31T13:30:53Z")
On The Simpsons, Homer summates carpe diem: > [@](#): > > Just like the time I could have met Mr. T at the mall. The entire day I kept saying, “I’ll go a little later. I’ll go a little later.” And then when I got there, they told me he’d just left. And when I asked the mall guy if he would ever come back again, he said he didn’t know. Well, I’m never going to let something like that happen again! I’m going into space right now! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/78 "2003-04-01T01:44:08Z")
From MASH: “Is it true that God answers all prayers?” “Yes. Sometimes the answer is ‘no’.” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/79 "2003-04-01T04:48:17Z")
\*\*“You a bounty hunter?” “A man’s got to do somethin’ for a livin’ these days.” “Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’, boy”\*\* _~~The Outlaw Josey Wales_ ---
**Author:** ![RawkStah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RawkStah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RawkStah)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604/80 "2003-04-01T05:20:11Z")
At the time it seemed profound. Now, I’m not so sure. “Teenage angst has paid off well. Now, I’m bored and old.” – Kurt Cobain, “Serve the Servants”. Age around 26. Kee-ripes, man! I’m 26! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-wisdom-in-pop-culture/164604.md?page=5)