Nameless Quotes

[Geopol4r]

We all occasionally have a great idea for a quote. Most of us, sadly don't have the fame or influence to make it worth anything. Here, I invite all, unknown or legendary, to share their quotes. Brighten someone's day, give them a dark glance at the horrifying reality set before us, shock their socks off, or turn heads in confusion and realization.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Here's one that's always stuck with me from my gaming group back in the 1990s:
*After a teleport mishap, the heroes suddenly find themselves in a massive cave, with a lake of lava, inhabited by many demons / devils / flying fiery bat monsters of some sort, all apparently serving some 150 ft tall winged monstrosity in the middle of the fiery lake*
Hero 1: <alarmed> "Where are we?"
Hero 2: <deadpan> "In trouble."

[Jay R]

A politician keeps his job by calming you down. A journalist keeps his job by exciting you. So things are never as good as the government says, and never as bad as the media says.

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English is a language built over centuries by many peoples, mostly illiterate, on a land invaded by everyone from Norway to Rome, and even (in popular folklore) Troy. If you can find a rule for our tongue that has no exceptions, we'll expunge it immediately.

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If you want to understand politics, stop talking about "the party out of power." The loser in the last election has far more power and influence than you or I will ever have. Both parties are in power.

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The reason we are always disappointed on Election Day is that we keep expecting it to be Christmas -- and it turns out to be April Fool's Day. We should really treat it like Independence Day. Only then will it become Thanksgiving.

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Early to bed makes Jack a dull boy,
But whiskey on beer, sailor's delight;
All the rest have thirty one,
Or when pronounced "a" as in neighbor and weigh.
Burma Shave.

[factotum]

I came up with this first line for a story many years ago. Unfortunately, I could never figure out how to continue it:

"The air is subtly different at the edge of the world."

[Sermil]

My rule for video game design:

Never give the player a choice between feeling bored and feeling stupid.

(Players want to win. If the clearest path to winning involves doing something boring, they'll start doing the boring thing, and then complain the game is boring and drop it)

[Smoutwortel]

Waste and disabilities are misleading terms for raw material nobody has been creative enough to use.

[BisectedBrioche]

Life is very fair; it's people who throw things off, and it's up to people to make it fair again.

[Kurt Kurageous]

You can expect what you inspect.

The basic function of leadership is setting priorities. Fail to do this and no matter what else you do, you are still not a leader.

Power used is power diminished.

A dollar taxed is a freedom diminished.

There are only two types of jobs in the world; can't do and won't do. Until you learn one marketable skill you cannot do the former and will remain doing the latter.

Nothing happens until someone buys something.

There are only three primary human motivators; fear, greed, and ego.

Keep going until you find your tribe.

If I'm in charge, my best idea to solve a problem is never better than your idea to solve the problem because you will fight to have your idea carried out, and will never embrace my idea as much.

What you punish you get less of, what you reward you get more of, and everyone gets a choice.

There is no lasting peace without a victor and a vanquished.

[Gold Leaf]

In life, every choice has a painless option and a painful option. Unfortunately, the painful option is always the correct one.

[animorte]

Half of everyone’s life is made up of IF… literally. -me

[Gold Leaf]

Telling a lie is a form of instant gratification, and we all know where that gets you.

[BisectedBrioche]

You're a warm blooded social mammal; act accordingly.

[Dame_Mechanus]

If you believe the world is unkind, acting with kindness is an inherent act of rebellion against it.

Arguments aren't won by having someone apologize to you but by both people working together to solve the problem that started the argument.

No matter how smart you may be, you can be wrong. Always be ready to learn that you are; that's how growth happens.

Go into every situation expecting a fight and you're sure to find one, needed or not.

[Sigako]

Of all the evils in the Pandora's box the most tenacious was hope.