William Shakespeare, "The Merchant of Venice", Act 1 scene 3
I've been thinking about inspirational quotes. These are the quotes that greet you on the cover page of seminars you're forced to go to. They're in those goddamned posters with eagles and divers and mountains that talk about success. Successories is the brand, I believe.
I feel a spate of inspirarional quotes coming on. Christmas is coming, I guess. Well, I know, but I guess the reason I'm detecting a bunch of quotes is that Christmas is coming.
I really like quotations. They remind me of things I strive to do or be. They remind me that the world is absurd. They remind me that other people are out there thinking or not thinking or doing who knows what with their time. They remind me that most people who bother to write the quotes I bother to read are judgmental, irritable, witty geniuses; thus, I know I'm not alone.
He wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat.
William Shakespeare, "Much Ado about Nothing", Act 1 scene 1
What a deformed thief this fashion is.
William Shakespeare, "Much Ado About Nothing", Act III scene iii
Why are quotes so el stinko? Firstly, they can be contradictory or nonsensical, even if from the same author. They're taken out of context. Someone might quote to you, in a learned manner, "To thine own self be true." He or she might know that it's Shakespeare. He or she might know that it's from Hamlet. He or she might even know that Polonius said it. But does he or she remember that Polonius was a fool? He was the king of inspirational quotation and he ended up lurking behind a curtain, then on the floor with a knife wound in his side, and finally singing with a choir of angels who most certainly would be the lucky recipient of some quote. Perhaps he'd say, "Look, Daddy! Teacher says, 'Any time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.'"
I'm not saying that it's bad advice. I'm simply suggesting that the quotation be examined before it's chucked into a space that is supposed to be inspirational. I betcha the angels would smack the hell out of him until he understood the quotefulness rules that aren't laid out anywhere for anyone but those of us who are geniuses.
People like you and me, my darlings.
Posted by dotty at November 7, 2003 08:28 AM