Famous quotes
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,808 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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“Cause when you're a Celebrity, It's adios reality. You can act just like a fool. People think you're cool Just cause you're on TV. I can throw major fits When my latte isn't just how I like it. They say I've gone insane, I'll blame it on the fame, And the pressures that it goes with Being a Celebrity.”
Brad Paisley (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“And since the day I left Milwaukee, Lyncheburg and Bourbon, France Been makin' a fool out of folks Just like you, And helpin' white people dance. I am medicine and I am poison. I can help you up or make you fall. You had some of the best times You'll never remember with me... Alcohol.”
Brad Paisley (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Better to say nothing and be thought a fool,” said Amarelle, “than to interfere in the business of wizards and remove all doubt.”
Scott Lynch (born 1978) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You are one of those obsessed demoniacal creatures who ought to be avoided at all costs; they bring misfortune into the lives of others; they ruin the lives of others. The real good people are humble and silent (like your Kitty is). But beware, God sees all vanity and pride and you cannot fool him.”
Svetlana Alliluyeva (1926–2011) first seen 1996 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Said to Malcolm Muggeridge, as quoted in Richard Ingrams (1996), Muggeridge: The Biography, p. 233
“The acceleration of the number of traders buying into the market in the inflating bubble captures the oft-quoted observation that bubbles are times when the "greater fool theory" applies.”
Didier Sornette (born 1957) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“How does the fool build his paradise?—out of the crumbling bricks of illusion and the watery cement of hope.”
Robert Sheckley (1928–2005) said by 2005 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Even a prince may be a fool”
Katherine Paterson (born 1932) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To expect to be kissed having bad breath is the secret of a fool.”
Dejan Stojanovic (born 1959) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I can tell you that only a fool destroys useful things merely because he doesn’t like them.”
Avram Davidson (1923–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The trouble with this country is that there are too many politicians who believe, with a conviction based on experience, that you can fool all of the people all of the time.”
Franklin Pierce Adams (1881–1960) said by 1960 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.”
Martin Fowler (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Also quoted by: Kent Beck
“I put my books in a bag because I don't care anymore if people in the subway look at me admiringly. I can't hold on to a girl, I can't keep an office job, I make a fool of myself in my first literature class and I wonder why I left Limerick at all. [...] I could have read Jonathan Swift to my heart's content not giving a fiddler's fart whether he was a satirist or a seanachie.”
Frank McCourt (1930–2009) said by 2009 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I thank you, Papa, for your kindness. It is true about me to this day. I am foolish but I am not a fool.”
Grace Paley (1922–2007) first seen 1959 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Loudest Voice" (1959)
“A man who does not fool himself seldom cares much about fooling others. But the man who claims to have seen a ghost wants everybody else to believe in ghosts.”
E. W. Howe (1853–1937) first seen 1919 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ventures in Common Sense (1919), p87.
“Simon, always a fool for simplicity, accepted. Punch took an envelope out of his pocket and scribbled on the back of it. He said, 'This has a simple arithmetical proof but no rational explanation of the paradox.' He gave it to Simon. Simon read it, looked at Punch with raised eyebrows, hunched his shoulders, shook his head sadly, and got up and left the room without a word.”
William Grey Walter (1910–1977) said by 1977 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I play the fool on Twitter and often shoot myself in the foot and cause myself all sorts of trouble . . . I don't know, I find it vaguely therapeutic to express myself on Twitter. It's a way to get messages out to the public.”
“Everyone knows what engineering is. All that's left is to define systems, and I'm not fool enough to do that.”
Robert E. Machol (1917–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“So many shapes have women for deceit, That every man's a fool, when we think fit.”
George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne (1666–1735) said by 1735 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is nothing like the ocean to remind you of what is important,” she said quietly, and smiled. Cadrach’s returned smile was weak. “Ah, by the Good Lord, that’s true,” he groaned. “I am reminded that life is sweet, that the sea is treacherous, and that I am a fool.” Miriamele nodded solemnly, staring up at the bellying sails. “Those are good things to remember,” she said.”
Tad Williams (born 1957) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I love being around people that are smarter than me, that think faster than me. So even if you're a dork, and you wear stupid clothes, and you make a fool of yourself, and everyone makes fun of you, and you're just an idiot—I don't care about the context. I don't care. If you're genius and I recognize it, I kind of dig that.”
Courtney Love (born 1964) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On people she is attracted to, The Return of Courtney Love (2006)
“What use is giving advice to a fool a hundred times? It is like raining on a rock for hundred years. Will it ever soak in?”
“Bye-bye," Auntie cooed, and waved a tattered wing. "Bye-bye, 12-8, you fool!”
Kathryn Lasky (born 1944) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Anyone who dismisses out of hand evidence that U.S. intelligence agencies still do some of the things that they now brag about having done not too long ago is not a skeptic, but a fool.”
Barrett Brown (born 1981) first seen 2010 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Huffington Post, "Wikileaks Blows Whistle; Most Miss the Point", 7 April 2010.
“It has actually been made a matter of boast that Christianity has no secrets, that whatever it has to say it says to all, and whatever it has to teach it teaches to all. Its truths are supposed to be so simple, that "a way-faring man, though a fool, may not err therein," and the "simple Gospel" has become a stock phrase.”
Annie Besant (1847–1933) said by 1933 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Shall we indict one man for making a fool of another?”
John Holt (Lord Chief Justice) first seen 1013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Reg. v. Jones (1703), 2 Raym. 1013.
“Value Time: Our time on the earth is limited. There are so many things to do in this limited life span. So you have to manage your day and time wisely. Don’t be a fool to waste your precious time and life.”
Thích Nhật Từ (born 1969) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In any case, the thought of a catastrophe or holocaust unleashed by accidental (i.e. nonhistorical) causes might be very unsettling to any Marxists who had a passionate belief in a deterministic theory of history. Instead of saying "It is inevitable that we will take over the world in fifty years", this Marxist would have to add, "Always assuming some capitalist fool doesn't press the button.”
Herman Kahn (1922–1983) said by 1983 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“...but if you succeed in persuading this poor devil to part with every penny of his own profits, in stripping him to the skin, in picking him to the bone, Jonathan Wild was a fool to you, that's all. You have my full and free consent to do whatever you please with the fellow, and god send him a good deliverance. But you won't forget to lend me the cash!”
Joseph Ritson (1752–1803) said by 1803 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“By heaven, I verily believe if he were only to employ you to draw him up a lease for a year, he would never be able to get out of your clutches as long as he lived. ...Old Slangy was a fool to you.”
Joseph Ritson (1752–1803) said by 1803 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We often fool ourselves that we are concentrating because we fix our attention on wavering objects”
B. K. S. Iyengar (1918–2014) said by 2014 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“...both company managements and stockholders might well consider a lesson King Lear learned -that when the role of dissenter is left to the Fool, there may be trouble ahead for everybody.”
John Brooks (writer) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Only the problems of his time seem important to the fool.”
Nicolás Gómez Dávila (1913–1994) said by 1994 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We're taught at such an early age to be against the communists, yet most of us don't have the faintest idea what communism is. Only a fool lets somebody tell them who the enemy is.”
Assata Shakur (1947–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I can confirm that Poland will join the euro zone, and not just because all the treaties are signed, but because I consider it of strategic interest both for Poland and the European Union. But only a fool would believe that the euro could provide a guarantee that a financial crisis would never happen again.”
Donald Tusk (born 1957) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk spiegel.de (28th April 2011)
“Sometimes, Skorous,” Draco said, “you are a fool.” “Sometimes I am not alone in that.”
Tanith Lee (1947–2015) said by 2015 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I see you laugh, and rightly so. What is this silly old fool rambling on about? Good for you. Never respect years, only deeds.”
Tanith Lee (1947–2015) said by 2015 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Pardon me, if I'm sentimental When we say goodbye , Don't be angry with me should I cry. When you're gone, yet I'll dream A little dream as years go by… Now and then there's a fool such as I.”
Bill Trader (1922–2003) said by 2003 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“She must be a fool with a witness, who can believe a man, proud and vain as he is, will lay his boasted authority, the dignity and prerogative of his sex, on moment at her feet, but in prospect of taking it up again to more advantage; he may call himself her slave a few days, but it is only in order to make her his all the rest of his life.”
Mary Astell (1666–1731) said by 1731 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The great thing about people with intellectual disabilities is that they’re not people who discuss philosophy... What they want is fun and laughter, to do things together and fool around, and laughter is at the heart of community.”
Jean Vanier (1928–2019) first seen 2015 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Gift of Living With the Not Gifted Wall Street Journal, April 3, 2015
“Given the evidence at our disposal, only a fool would put any faith in the organic and the machine living harmoniously for the rest of time.”
Alastair Reynolds (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“‘I see I have shocked you all a little. But to be a poet is to accept the responsibility of speaking the truth! No matter what the cost to my personal safety [...] in matters of men and this world. I’m a poet, not a complete fool…’”
Nick Drake (poet) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Jesus is said to have said on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Because Jesus was insane and the God he thought would rescue him did not exist. And he died on that cross like a fool. He fancied himself the son of God and he could barely convince twelve men to follow him at a time when the world was full of superstition.”
Cenk Uygur (born 1970) first seen 2005 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: If You're a Christian, Muslim or Jew - You are Wrong", The Huffington Post (23 October 2005)
“Unsupported assertions of impossible absurdities are indistinguishable from the illusions of delusion, and no one should believe anything that requires faith. Because faith requires that we believe without question, without reservation, without reason. That is irrational, foolish; that’s what a fool is. Your Bible got it wrong. Any assertion that requires faith should be rejected for that reason.”
“Admitting you are a nature poet, nowadays, may make you seem something of a fool!”
“Isn’t it enough to make a man sour on his country when he wants to serve it and won’t be allowed unless he answers a lot of fool questions about the number of cubic inches of water in the Atlantic and the quality of sand in the Sahara desert? p. 11”
George Washington Plunkitt (1842–1924) said by 1924 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The politician who steals is worse than a thief. He is a fool. With the grand opportunities all around for the man with a political pull, there’s no excuse for stealin’ a cent. p. 32”
George Washington Plunkitt (1842–1924) said by 1924 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He that cheats another is a knave; but he that cheats himself is a fool.”
Karl G. Maeser (1828–1901) said by 1901 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I had not the strength nor the inclination to bandy words with a drunkard. What have you done when you have bested a fool?”
Charles Portis (1933–2020) said by 2020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He was an arrogant, pigheaded doctrinaire fool.”
Alan Gibbs (born 1939) first seen 1994 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: About Robert Muldoon, From the documentary Robert Muldoon: The Grim Face of Power, 1994
“If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell.”
Frederick Buechner (1926–2022) said by 2022 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source