Quotations

"When we think we have been hurt by someone in the past, we build up defenses to protect ourselves from being hurt in the future. So the fearful past causes a fearful future and the past and future become one."

— Alfred Hitchcock, English-American film director, born 1899

"Film your murders like love scenes, and film your love scenes like murders."

— Alfred Hitchcock, English-American film director, born 1899

"Man does not live by murder alone. He needs affection, approval, encouragement and, occasionally, a hearty meal."

— Alfred Hitchcock, English-American film director, born 1899

"What I thought was an end turned out to be a middle. What I thought was a brick wall turned out to be a tunnel. What I thought was an injustice turned out to be a color of the sky."

— Tony Hoagland, American poet, born 1953

"Outside the youth center, between the liquor store and the police station, a little dogwood tree is losing its mind; overflowing with blossom foam, like a sudsy mug of beer; like a bride ripping off her clothes, dropping snow white petals to the ground in clouds, so Nature’s wastefulness seems quietly obscene. It’s been doing that all week: making beauty, and throwing it away, and making more."

— Tony Hoagland, American poet, born 1953

"To know a person's religion we need not listen to his profession of faith but must find his brand of intolerance."

— Eric Hoffer, American philosopher, born 1902

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."

— Eric Hoffer, American philosopher, born 1902

"The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves. It is not love of self but hatred of self which is at the root of the troubles that afflict our world."

— Eric Hoffer, American philosopher, born 1902

"Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power."

— Eric Hoffer, American philosopher, born 1902

"Peace is a very complicated concept. When the lion gobbles up the lamb and wipes his lips, then there's peace. Well, I ain't for that peace at all."

— Abbie Hoffman, American activist, born 1936

"Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles."

— Abbie Hoffman, American activist, born 1936

"One thing about being successful is that I stopped being afraid of dying. Once you're a star you're dead already. You're embalmed."

— Dustin Hoffman, American actor, born 1937

"37 seconds, well used, is a lifetime."

— Dustin Hoffman, American actor, born 1937

"I lived below the official American poverty line until I was 31."

— Dustin Hoffman, American actor, born 1937