Talent, plus a rant

[pjthompson]

Random quote of the day:


"We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess."

—Mark Twain, The Autobiography of Mark Twain










The Rant: In Which Moral Indignation is Expressed Over the Sloppiness of Quotation Websites.



I hate unsourced quotes, hates 'em! It doesn't mean I don't use them sometimes—this week has had more than enough, but I'm anticipating four days off and getting sloppy in my habits. I realize this is one of a growing number of things in which I am in a minority of caring about, but a portion of my job over the years has involved tracking down attributions. So I take it seriously.

Besides, there are a plethora of quote websites out there which seem to do nothing but quote each others' quotes or rearrange the words of each others' quotes or edit the real quotes because they aren't "pithy" enough for modern taste or "sound bite worthy" enough. None of these sites have sources. And a quote without a source is tantamount to a used car salesman saying, "This little honey runs like a dream. Trust me."

This is especially true if the quote is attributed to one of the famous quote machines, like Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, Voltaire, Dorothy Parker. You can stick their names on any piece of wit or half-wit and people will say, "Oh, okay. Funny chick, that Dorothy." You can also go on to justify any piece of social, political, or moral dimwittery by sticking a great name behind it. "Well, Mark Twain thinks it's so therefore it must be so."

It's balderdash, I say! Humbug! The Decline of Western Civilization, dogs and cats living together without benefit of matrimony, children being heard as well as seen! Have you no shame, Senator?

Yes, I know. Who cares? Especially just before the 4th of July weekend. I guess I really need that vacation.

Comments

[purdypiedad.livejournal.com]

Actually, that is something I care about, too, and it's a real problem I've run into. The person I've found most misquoted or had quotes attributed to that didn't actually say them is Thomas Jefferson, and since this country was founded on much of what he said/wrote, getting it right matter, y'know?

But people like to gossip, and misquoting or not sourcing quotes is just gossip.

[pjthompson]

You're absolutely right. And Thomas Jefferson is another of those quote machines. Want to plug a point of view? Attribute it to a famous founding father.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Too often soundbite quotes not only mix n match, but diminish context.

[pjthompson]

Yes, I found that, and also sometimes subtle changes can give a whole new (and unintended) meaning to a quote. So it is a big deal.

[handworn.livejournal.com]

La Rochefoucauld said something very similar to Twain's quote, though the precise wording escapes my memory.

[pjthompson]

And there's the other thing: great people copied each other, so it's easy to switch attributions there. People think this quote stuff is easy. ;-)

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I'm a quote purist, too. I hate when people alter what's said or just mis-attribute them. I usually wind up looking for two sources if I'm going to use a quote myself...

[pjthompson]

But when I get all cranky like that it makes me feel seriously old school. :-)

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

Nah -- you just have higher standards than most of the drabble out there.

[pjthompson]

Mmm. And some days I really have to question whether it's worth it.