# What is your favorite inspiring or funny quote? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 9, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204 "2009-06-09T13:45:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [June 12, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/81 "2009-06-12T02:58:56Z")
I’m not generally a fan of Pogo, but this one from a daily strip really got me. They used to have it posted in the Engineering Library at the University of Rochester: "There are people who think there are creatures smarter than us in this Universe, and there are people who think that we’re the smartest things in the Universe. Either way, it’s a mighty humbling thought." ---
**Author:** ![Timchik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Timchik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timchik)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/82 "2009-06-12T05:30:47Z")
Und wenn ich wüßte, daß morgen die Welt unterginge, so würde ich doch heute mein Apfelbäumchen pflanzen [Even if I knew that the world would end tomorrow, I would still go plant my little apple tree today] - Martin Luther Thus each of us had to be content to live only for the day, alone under the vast indifference of the sky - Albert Camus, _The Plague_ ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/83 "2009-06-12T13:18:10Z")
It is foolishness and endless trouble to cast a stone at every dog that barks at you. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/84 "2009-06-12T15:02:58Z")
> [@Latka Gravis](#): > > We believe that meaningless ritual and mindless superstition are all that separate us from the animals. Regards. Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/85 "2009-06-12T15:21:58Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > It is foolishness and endless trouble to cast a stone at every dog that barks at you. Related: _Ladran, luego cabalgamos_. – Miguel de Cervantes. “They bark, therefore we’re riding.” ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/86 "2009-06-12T15:52:46Z")
“Some days, the magic works. Some days, it doesn’t” – Chief Dan George, Little Big Man Working in IT, I have found this applies to almost any circumstance. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/87 "2009-06-13T00:38:32Z")
Here’s one I used to like a lot: “Ein Mann ohne ein Armbanduhr ist ein gluecklicher Mann.” Translation: “A man without a wristwatch is a happy man.” Sadly, it’s been years since I’ve not worn a watch regularly, but I am happy anyway. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/88 "2009-06-13T20:58:49Z")
Good conquers evil as water extinguishes fire: if a cup of water cannot put out a blaze, one should not conclude that water is powerless against fire. - Mencius Resisting being called “defective” and “broken” is not intolerant; it is standing up for one’s rights as a citizen and one’s value as a human being. Asking to not be hit is not intolerant; asking not to be called “fag” is not intolerant, asking for the same rights that hetero folks enjoy is not intolerant. I will never accept that being “tolerant” means allowing myself to be regarded as inferior. I don’t care if bigots get hurt feelings because I fend off the hand that hits me. - **gobear** Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? - Zora Neale Hurston What a good thing that we aren’t all the same. I mean, think of the oatmeal shortage. - **lilairen** Some people are born on third base and spend their entire lives thinking they hit a triple. - Ann Richards The time comes for everyone to do deliberately what he used to do by mistake… If you are effeminate by nature, you have to find some way of telling the world that you know you are, otherwise they keep telling you. - Quentin Crisp It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. - Audre Lorde It’s my goal in life to be accused of being shrill. - Susan Faludi Well, allow me to introduce myself to you as an advocate of Ornamental Knowledge. You like the mind to be a neat machine, equipped to work efficiently, if narrowly… I like the mind to be a dustbin of scraps of brilliant fabric, odd gems, worthless but fascinating curiosities, tinsel, quaint bits of carving, and a reasonable amount of healthy dirt. Shake the machine and it goes out of order; shake the dustbin and it adjusts itself beautifully to its new position. - Robertson Davies Well, normally, I’d comment with Hanlon’s Razor, which runs, Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. However, in this case, I think the corollary applies: Any sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice. - “darksasami,” posted on LiveJournal There is no human problem that could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise. - Gore Vidal I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: ‘O God, make my enemies ridiculous!’ And God granted it. - Voltaire I know that you can’t live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you, and you, and you, and you have got to give them hope. - Harvey Milk ---
**Author:** ![Gorgonzola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e480ec/32.png) [@Gorgonzola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgonzola)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/89 "2009-06-13T23:08:12Z")
I use this one a lot at work: The only things that evolve by themselves in an organization are disorder, friction, and malperformance. – Peter Drucker ---
**Author:** ![hotea1313](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/898d66/32.png) [@hotea1313](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotea1313)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/90 "2009-06-13T23:51:51Z")
“I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn’t study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people.” – Al Gore “For NASA, space is still a high priority.” – Vice President Al Gore, “The American people would not want to know of any misquotes that Al Gore may or may not make.” --Vice President Al Gore “It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.” – Vice President Al Gore “[It’s] time for the human race to enter the solar system.” – Vice President Al Gore Charles J. C. Lyall There are four things that hold back human progress. Ignorance, stupidity, committees and accountants. Albert Einstein Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe. Albert Einstein The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. “‘God told me’ is no excuse for stupidity.” - Steve Quarrella cant remember who said it In politics stupidity is not a handicap. Man has made use of his intelligence, he invented stupidity. Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Doom\_Slinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Doom\_Slinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doom_Slinger)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/91 "2009-06-14T00:48:46Z")
> [@hotea1313](#): > > “I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn’t study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people.” – Al Gore > > “For NASA, space is still a high priority.” – Vice President Al Gore, > > “The American people would not want to know of any misquotes that Al Gore may or may not make.” --Vice President Al Gore > > “It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.” – Vice President Al Gore > > “[It’s] time for the human race to enter the solar system.” – Vice President Al Gore [Nope](http://www.snopes.com/quotes/quayle.asp). According to Snopes, your second and fifth quotes above were actually uttered by Vice President Dan Quayle, and the first and fourth ones were made up by humor writers and attributed to Quayle. Your third quote above is more often attributed to President G.W. Bush, although I couldn’t find an authoritative cite. Nice try, though. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/92 "2009-06-14T01:55:30Z")
That’s what I love about this place. Absolutely NO factual inaccuracy will go unchallenged. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/93 "2009-06-14T04:49:11Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > Awwww.. sexism is precious. You bet it is!😃 ---
**Author:** ![hotea1313](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/898d66/32.png) [@hotea1313](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotea1313)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/94 "2009-06-14T07:43:47Z")
> [@Doom\_Slinger](#): > > [Nope](http://www.snopes.com/quotes/quayle.asp). According to Snopes, your second and fifth quotes above were actually uttered by Vice President Dan Quayle, and the first and fourth ones were made up by humor writers and attributed to Quayle. Your third quote above is more often attributed to President G.W. Bush, although I couldn’t find an authoritative cite. Nice try, though. intresting i meant them as a joke w/e cant even post at 3 am without it going challenged nice to know people look up these things ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/95 "2009-06-14T09:29:26Z")
> [@hotea1313](#): > > intresting i meant them as a joke w/e cant even post at 3 am without it going challenged nice to know people look up these things But it is not 3 am to all members. Many of us would not be aware of your time. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/96 "2009-06-14T17:32:56Z")
“All Bleeding stops eventually” - Good thing to say to someone who refuses to see a dcotor “While we live there is no final victory, only a time to rest and prepare for the next battle.” - That one’s mine. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/97 "2009-06-14T17:47:24Z")
> [@hotea1313](#): > > interesting i meant them as a joke w/e cant even post at 3 am without it going challenged nice to know people look up these things Jokes are supposed to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![ashman165](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@ashman165](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashman165)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/98 "2009-06-14T17:48:11Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Jokes are supposed to be funny. Bleh, out of here with your elitist “details” and all that jazz. =P ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/99 "2009-06-14T19:00:00Z")
“Don’t sweat the petty things… …and don’t pet the sweaty things” ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204/100 "2009-06-14T19:16:05Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > A kick in the ass leads to a step in the right direction. I like it. When the kids were growing up I created a saying about discipline. “Sometimes you have to love someone enough to kick em in the ass.” We still use now that they have kids of their own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-inspiring-or-funny-quote/499204.md?page=6)