ochoin | 22 Oct 2015 6:08 a.m. PST |
Famous people say famous things….but not always. For various reasons many well known pithy statements were NOT said by the people we think said them. For example: Marie Antoinette didn't say, "Let them eat cake." I was surprised to find that Marilyn Munroe wasn't responsible for, "Well-behaved women rarely make history." Evidently, it was someone called Laurel Thatcher Ulrich (a title for her book). Nominate yours. This might be a little fun, followed by a poll to establish our favourite. |
Winston Smith | 22 Oct 2015 6:23 a.m. PST |
Churchill never said "The traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy and the lash." Although he later said that he wished he had. |
RavenscraftCybernetics | 22 Oct 2015 6:47 a.m. PST |
"Famous people say famous things….but not always. "-RavenscraftCybernetics |
Skrapwelder | 22 Oct 2015 7:07 a.m. PST |
"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us." Mis-attributed to George Orwell. The quote originated with a journalist writing about Orwell's opinions on Nationalism. The closest thing Orwell is quoted as saying is far more eloquent: "Those who abjure violence can do so only because others are committing violence on their behalf." |
TNE2300 | 22 Oct 2015 7:14 a.m. PST |
|
John the OFM | 22 Oct 2015 8:21 a.m. PST |
One may search in vain through the works of Edmund Burke for "All that is necessary for evil to flourish (or prosper or triumph…) is for good men to do nothing." Don't look at me. I'm not a Burke scholar! But more than one has admitted that he cannot find that quote anywhere. link If William Safire can give up on attributing it to Burke, who am I to differ? |
vtsaogames | 22 Oct 2015 8:25 a.m. PST |
Balzac did not say "behind every great fortune is a great crime". His actual statement was more rambling and less definitive. I prefer the apocryphal quote. Almost any statement by current politicians of either party quoting Lincoln or Jefferson are pure fiction. |
John the OFM | 22 Oct 2015 8:30 a.m. PST |
Then try tracking down "That which is not forbidden is compulsory." For a long time I thought that was Orwell. It's T H White. It has been attributed to Murray Gell-Mann to describe some laws of quantum physics, but again, mysteriously, it can't be found in his writings. link
|
Tgerritsen | 22 Oct 2015 8:51 a.m. PST |
"L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace!" This was a misquote of Georges Danton mis-attributed to both Napoleon and Fredrick the Great. Georges couldn't catch a break! |
Tgerritsen | 22 Oct 2015 8:54 a.m. PST |
And a slightly less serious one I particularly like…
|
Frederick | 22 Oct 2015 9:11 a.m. PST |
Willy "The Actor" Sutton's quote on robbing banks was not made by him, but he sure claimed it |
surdu2005 | 22 Oct 2015 10:06 a.m. PST |
I have searched for years and have found NO evidence that Rommel ever said, "Amateurs study tactics; professional study logistics." It's a great quote. I wish I know who really said it. |
Brian Bronson | 22 Oct 2015 10:13 a.m. PST |
"I agree with John the OFM" – Editor in Chief Bill |
MHoxie | 22 Oct 2015 10:15 a.m. PST |
Jesus of Nazareth never said, "Peek-a-boo!" |
Weasel | 22 Oct 2015 10:58 a.m. PST |
That whole "To see who is in charge, see who you are not allowed to criticize" thing was not said by Voltaire, but by a neo-nazi arrested for pedophilia. I've seen a lot of Lenin quotes that are completely (and often obviously) made up. |
Heisler | 22 Oct 2015 11:32 a.m. PST |
I have searched for years and have found NO evidence that Rommel ever said, "Amateurs study tactics; professional study logistics." It's a great quote. I wish I know who really said it. Properly attributed to Gen. Robert H. Barrow, USMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps) noted in 1980 |
VonTed | 22 Oct 2015 11:39 a.m. PST |
In the immortal words of Socrates: "I drank what?" |
surdu2005 | 22 Oct 2015 11:44 a.m. PST |
Properly attributed to Gen. Robert H. Barrow, USMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps) noted in 1980 Do you have a reference? |
RavenscraftCybernetics | 22 Oct 2015 1:17 p.m. PST |
"It's on the internet so it must be true!"-John F. Kennedy |
jeffreyw3 | 22 Oct 2015 4:54 p.m. PST |
Beat me to it, Raven. Although, my favorite attribution is Lincoln. |
Patrick R | 23 Oct 2015 3:26 a.m. PST |
Good luck finding the original French version of Napoleon's "whiff of grapeshot" comment. As far as quotes are concerned if less than 10% of all those attributed to famous people were indeed uttered by said people, we should have a very good batting average. |
ochoin | 23 Oct 2015 5:25 a.m. PST |
"As far as quotes are concerned if less than 10% of all those attributed to famous people were indeed uttered by said people, we should have a very good batting average." -attributed to the great Patrick R…..I think. |
The Tin Dictator | 23 Oct 2015 9:17 a.m. PST |
To do is to be. – Plato To be is to do. – Socrates To do be do be do. – Sinatra |