# You are present to witness the downfall of civilization. What's your witty one-liner? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 15, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213 "2010-12-15T06:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/21 "2010-12-15T12:29:10Z")
I’m tempted to claim I’d go with the erudite “Sic transit gloria mundi” but I’d really probably just go “Huh.” ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/22 "2010-12-15T12:33:09Z")
“Oh no, not again!” ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/23 "2010-12-15T12:36:17Z")
I’m sorry ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/24 "2010-12-15T12:41:39Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I’m tempted to claim I’d go with the erudite “Sic transit gloria mundi”: snip : “…and Tuesday’s usually worse!” ---
**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:** [December 15, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/25 "2010-12-15T12:43:12Z")
Phil Foglio actually had this in an old comic of his, **Winslow** , about the only Platonic Ideal that’s sentient (and, fortuitously, in the form of a stuffed alligator toy he owns). The comic notes that Winslow has existed for all time, and has witnessed the Rise and Fall of Civilizations. The panel illustrating this has the stuffed alligator looking at a skeleton that has managed to crawl toward, but not reach, some goal. Its comment: “Nice Try!” ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/26 "2010-12-15T13:04:37Z")
“Figures.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/27 "2010-12-15T13:57:48Z")
Where’s my fiddle? ---
**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:** [December 15, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/28 "2010-12-15T14:02:38Z")
Winslow comic. The panel I refer to is #5 on this page: [![](http://www.thugdome.com/images/foglio/ma5_winslow3.png) ](http://www.thugdome.com/images/foglio/ma5_winslow3.png) The whole comic: [http://www.thugdome.com/slagblah\_winslow.htm](http://www.thugdome.com/slagblah_winslow.htm) (Although this page and thee Wikipedia entry say this was first published in 1985, it actually appeared before that, in 1982 in the URcon IV program, which is where i first saw it, and met Foglio: [http://www.rochesterfantasyfans.org/URcon.html](http://www.rochesterfantasyfans.org/URcon.html) ) ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/29 "2010-12-15T14:04:07Z")
So long, and thanks for all the fish… ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/30 "2010-12-15T14:10:00Z")
Klatu… Barada… Cough cough cough… ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/31 "2010-12-15T14:11:27Z")
Maybe that sad trombone sound effect. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/32 "2010-12-15T14:13:27Z")
You see? You see what happens? I tried to tell you guys, but did you listen? ‘Nooooooooo, we’re going to go ahead with plan A! La dee da! Look at me! I’m so smart!’ Morons. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/33 "2010-12-15T14:14:06Z")
Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/34 "2010-12-15T14:42:10Z")
'Tis a silly place. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/35 "2010-12-15T15:10:23Z")
'bout time! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/36 "2010-12-15T15:11:16Z")
So it goes. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/37 "2010-12-15T15:12:04Z")
Well, that’s the end of that suit! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/38 "2010-12-15T15:13:13Z")
Top of the world, Ma! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/39 "2010-12-15T15:18:31Z")
That’s gonna leave a mark. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-present-to-witness-the-downfall-of-civilization-whats-your-witty-one-liner/564213/40 "2010-12-15T15:39:25Z")
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