Quote collection

Thinking Quotes — page 600 of 4756

Woody Allen Director, Actor, Writer
Philosophical

“The process of making films is so technically demanding that it's a distraction. You don't spend your time thinking about the philosophical content, which is often very depressing.”

Will Smith Actor, Producer, Rapper
Spiritual

“The Bible talks about your spirit being immortal, that you were created for existence beyond your physical body. Well, that's no different from Scientology! I don't think that because the word someone uses for spirit is thetan that the definition becomes any different.”

Walker Percy Author, Novelist
Funny

“I sometimes think novelists write about sex in order to avoid boring themselves to death.”

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Walker Percy Author, Novelist
Lonely

“They all think any minute I'm going to commit suicide. What a joke. The truth of course is the exact opposite: suicide is the only thing that keeps me alive. Whenever everything else fails, all I have to do is consider suicide and in two seconds I'm as cheerful as a nitwit. But if I could not kill myself -- ah then, I would. I can do without nembutal or murder mysteries but not without suicide.”

Vaclav Havel Politician, Playwright
Philosophical

“The idea of human rights and freedoms must be an integral part of any meaningful world order. Yet, I think it must be anchored in a different place, and in a different way, than has been the case so far. If it is to be more than just a slogan mocked by half the world, it cannot be expressed in the language of a departing era, and it must not be mere froth floating on the subsiding waters of faith in a purely scientific relationship to the world.”

Umberto Eco Writer, Philosopher, Literary Critic
Thoughtful

“I think a book should be judged 10 years later, after reading and re-reading it.”

Umberto Eco Writer, Philosopher, Literary Critic
Philosophical

“Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message.”

Ursula K. Le Guin Author, Poet, Essayist
Melancholic

“The backside of heroism is often rather sad; women and servants know that. They know also that the heroism may be no less real for that. But achievement is smaller than men think. What is large is the sky, the earth, the sea, the soul.”

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Ursula K. Le Guin Author, Poet, Essayist
Confident

“Much arrogance is necessary equipment for an artist, I think. Not sufficient, but necessary. It carries one across the gaps.”

Ursula K. Le Guin Author, Poet, Essayist
Philosophical

“All times are changing times, but ours is one of massive, rapid moral and mental transformation. Archetypes turn into millstones, large simplicities get complicated, chaos becomes elegant, and what everybody knows is true turns out to be what some people used to think.”

Ursula K. Le Guin Author, Poet, Essayist
Regretful

“When in the Land of Property think like a propertarian. Dress like one, eat like one, act like one, be one.”

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S.J. Watson Author
Nostalgic

“We’re constantly changing facts, rewriting history to make things easier, to make them fit in with our preferred version of events. We do it automatically. We invent memories. Without thinking. If we tell ourselves something happened often enough we start to believe it, and then we can actually remember it.”

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Sabina Murray Author and Screenwriter
Creative

“What does literature do for me? I think I solve problems in my writing. They may be my problems, but perhaps others share them, and in the process of working these through, I hope to entertain.”

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Saint Augustine Theologian, Philosopher
Funny

“So you see how endlessly futile and fruitless it would be if we wanted to refute their objections every time they obstinately resolved not to think through what they say but merely to speak, just so long as they contradict our arguments in any way they can.”

Saint Augustine Theologian, Philosopher
Philosophical

“Whoever, therefore, thinks that he understands the divine scriptures or any part of them so that it does not build on the double love of God and of our neighbor does not understand it at all. Thus a man supported by faith, hope, and charity, with an unshaken hold upon them does not need the scriptures. . . And many live by these three things in solitude without books.”

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Yoko Ono Artist, Musician, Activist
Optimistic

“Most people think that I am too optimistic, but my optimism is based on the thought that negative thinking is a luxury that we can't afford.”

Yoko Ono Artist, Musician, Activist
Philosophical

“I think that there is incredible prejudice about witches while there is no prejudice about wizards. Words are very important, and I'm really into destroying myths.”

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Venus Williams Tennis Player
Rebellious

“Most definitely always been a passion, and always been one of my goals in life as a young person, to have my own business. My dad gave us his entrepreneurial mindset, so that was also ingrained, as well as the tennis. So in a lot of ways it's a part of making my parents proud. I think we all want to make our parents proud, you know?”

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VW
Venus Williams Tennis Player
Motivated

“I think that Billie (Jean King) and Zina (Garrison), they have a whole lot of experience. Even if I don't quite agree with something or have a different way of doing it this week, whatever they said, I did it right away and I found out that it was correct. I think that's helped a lot...I'm having fun. I had a lot of fun out there. Sometimes I was ready to smile -- but I knew I'd lose focus -- because I was doing things that I'd done in practice and we talked about. I was ready to laugh and give someone a high-five, but it wasn't time for that.”

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