George Carlin

Comedian, Actor

George Carlin was a groundbreaking stand-up comedian known for his incisive social commentary and critiques of language, politics, and morality.

Born
May 12, 1937
Died
June 22, 2008
Quotes
976
Rank
#448

About George Carlin

George Carlin — Life and Legacy

George Carlin was a transformative figure in comedy, renowned for his sharp wit and fearless critique of societal norms. His distinctive style often blended humor with profound insights, challenging audiences to confront uncomfortable truths. Carlin's famous quote, 'The only thing that matters is that you have a good time,' reflects his belief in the importance of authenticity and personal freedom in a world filled with constraints. He often tackled taboo subjects, using humor to dissect the absurdities of life and the contradictions in human behavior. Through his work, particularly in specials like 'Class Clown' and 'Jammin' in New York,' Carlin pushed the envelope, questioning authority and societal expectations. His quote, 'Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity,' exemplifies his knack for highlighting the contradictions in language and thought. Carlin's legacy lies in his ability to provoke thought and inspire critical thinking, making his insights resonate with audiences long after his passing. Today, Carlin's quotes continue to challenge and inspire, reminding us of the importance of questioning the status quo and embracing the complexity of human experience.

Quote collection

George Carlin quotes (page 1 of 49)

976 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me . . they’re cramming for their final exam."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks so I wondered, what do Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks?"

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Governments don't want a population capable of critical thinking, they want obedient workers, people just smart enough to run the machines and just dumb enough to passively accept their situation.You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything. They own all the important land. They own, and control the corporations. They've long since bought, and paid for the Senate, the Congress, the state houses, the city halls, they got the judges in their back pockets and they own all the big media companies, so they control just about all of the news and information you get to hear."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Some people have no idea what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Have you ever noticed that the only metaphor we have in our public discourse for solving problems is to declare war on it? We have the war on crime, the war on cancer, the war on drugs. But did you ever notice that we have no war on homelessness? You know why? Because there's no money in that problem. No money to be made off of the homeless. If you can find a solution to homelessness where the corporations and politicians can make a few million dollars each, you will see the streets of America begin to clear up pretty damn quick!"

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"All the media and the politicians ever talk about is things that separate us, things that make us different from one another"

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Don’t just teach your children to read… Teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"The real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and “Thou shalt not lie” in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"In America, anyone can become president. That's the problem."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"There is a planet named Pluto, but we don't have one named Goofy. Goofy would be a good name for this planet. It certainly qualifies."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"If the black box flight recorder is never damaged during a plane crash, why isn’t the whole airplane made out of that stuff?"

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"That's why they call it the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Keep in mind, the news media are not independent; they are a sort of bulletin board and public relations firm for the ruling class-the people who run things. Those who decide what news you will or will not hear are paid by, and tolerated purely at the whim of, those who hold economic power. If the parent corporation doesn't want you to know something, it won't be on the news. Period. Or, at the very least, it will be slanted to suit them, and then rarely followed up."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Your dog thinks you're a god. Your cat thinks the dog's an asshole."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"To my way of thinking, there is every bit as much evidence for the existence of UFOs as there is for the existence of God. Probably far more. At least in the case of UFOs there have been countless taped and filmed and, by the way, unexplained sightings from all over the world, along with documented radar evidence seen by experienced military and civilian radar operators.>&gt."

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George Carlin Comedian, Actor
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"A person of good intelligence and of sensitivity cannot exist in this society very long without having some anger about the inequality - and it's not just a bleeding-heart, knee-jerk, liberal kind of a thing - it is just a normal human reaction to a nonsensical set of values where we have cinnamon flavored dental floss and there are people sleeping in the street."

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