We are a quote heavy, self-help speeching society.
We thirst for leadership because honestly... life is dark and depressing.
How many books, speeches, essays and small "on the daily" quotes do we follow and take to heart?
Do you research every author of every quote?
You should. Or maybe you shouldn't.
Redditor cow780 wanted to hear some inspiration from the worst people possible. They asked:
"Reddit, what are some great quotes by terrible people?"
Just because someone has wisdom, insight and charm doesn't mean they're kind. Evil comes in all packages.
Evil
Confused Daily Show GIF by CTV Comedy ChannelGiphy“'Do not compare yourself to others. If you do so, you are insulting yourself.'”
"-Adolf Hitler"
KornilovCoup
"'Believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything your heart desires.'"
"- Adolf Hitler"
Alexis Carrel
"'To progress again, man must remake himself. And he cannot remake himself without suffering. For he is both the marble and the sculptor. In order to uncover his true visage he must shatter his own substance with heavy blows of his hammer.'"
"In the context of self-improvement it's a great quote about pushing limits and enduring pain or discomfort in order to grow. However the author of the quote Alexis Carrel was not speaking about improvement of the individual, but of humanity as a whole through eugenics and forced sterilisation of criminals, disabled people, and other 'undesirables.'"
ARXXBA
Gross
“'Decide that you want it more than you’re afraid of it.'- Bill Cosby"
vir804
"Man Bill Cosby is so frustrating. I feel like he did so much good while secretly being a slimy piece of garbage."
1CEninja
"Great quote until you realize that with modern context it's kinda disturbing."
Dracos002
Wisdom
“'Faith moves mountains, but only knowledge moves them to the right place.' - Joseph Goebbels"
227743
"The dude has SO many good quotes. Joseph Goebbels is what happens at the intersection of wisdom and evil."
kingfrito_5005
Smile
al capone inmates GIF by History UKGiphy"'You can get far with a smile. You will get further with a smile and a gun' - Al Capone"
Bombilillion
The villains always get the best lines.
To the Followers
Kool Aid GIFGiphy"'My whole life I have suffered from poverty and have faced many disappointments and pain, like a man is used to. That is why I want to make other people happy and want them to feel at home.' - Jim Jones"
SuvenPan
Murderer
"'Women hold up half the sky' - Mao Zedong"
maleorderbride
"My dad used to play that song when I was little. I always thought the line was, 'if you go carrying pictures of Trem and Mao.' I always thought there was some other guy named trem that I had just not learned about in school yet."
444unsure
"Mao killed 80 million of his own people and there are statues of him all over China."
bernahardbanger69
Statistics
"Stalin- 'A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic.'"
jdownes316
"Another one by Stalin, often paraphrased as 'It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes.'"
"'I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this—who will count the votes, and how.'"
_Steven_Seagal_
Ruin
"'Expectations ruin relationships' - Michelle Duggar"
"This one stuck with me and then I started to notice the most unhappy people I know are the ones with the most or highest expectations of others."
Beneficial-Cow-2544
"American hero worship is the worst thing. We have to lie about all, of amerikan history because our little snowflakes would melt learning the truth in school. Once you acknowledge that everyone is flawed, it's easier to accept reality."
Unlikely-Anteater-52
Gemini
david fincher fbi GIF by NETFLIXGiphy"'You gotta remember, if we're all God then we're all the Devil too.' -Charles Manson"
KwikTrist
Even the worst and most of us is can be brilliant. That's why evil can be hard to catch and easy to follow.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Just Torched That 'Straight Pride' Event In Boston With A Genius Tweet
June is Pride month, which means LGBTQ communities around the world will be organizing parades and events to celebrate their identities and continue the fight for equal rights under the law. However, three straight men in Boston seem to misunderstand the point of the festivities, and have applied for a permit to hold a "Straight Pride" parade.
It’s LGBT pride month, but three guys in Boston want a permit for a "Straight Pride" parade https://t.co/ZREEWNn44m— The Washington Post (@The Washington Post) 1559682125
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wasn't about to let the inane idea pass without giving it the take-down it deserves.
She responded to the news on Twitter with a burn felt by straight guys everywhere:
Will “Straight Pride” be a Freaky Friday type situation where all of our history books, movies, stories, media, new… https://t.co/0mUJaDtD2n— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1559740643
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the parade business!
People are like “HEY there is NOTHING wrong with dad jeans.” 😂 Exactly, Jim. Wear them with pride. I see you and a… https://t.co/4HlgSctlUt— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1559741383
Twitter was cracking up at AOC's zingers.
@AOC New balances as far as the eye can see.— Dave McKellar (@Dave McKellar) 1559740679
Many joined in the fun to throw some shade at the straight Pride organizers.
@AOC They’re gonna march in cargo shorts and Barstool shirts. 🤮— Jordan Meehan (@Jordan Meehan) 1559740786
@AOC The Straight Pride parade is an absurd concept. There will be lots of fragile male egos in attendance and an a… https://t.co/ibn7oNoAi4— Angela Belcamino (@Angela Belcamino) 1559744046
Of course, the idea that straight people need a dedicated Pride event is a ridiculous one once you know the history of the occasion.
@AOC https://t.co/SQ45AjqGrg— Jersey Craig 🇺🇦🌻 (@Jersey Craig 🇺🇦🌻) 1559740669
@RussellZoloft @AOC Members of a marginalized community making a joke about people who have the privilege we lack i… https://t.co/HNP6rdRnh1— Norma Krautmeyer 🏳️🌈 (@Norma Krautmeyer 🏳️🌈) 1559741714
The straight community doesn't face many of the struggles LGBTQ people do on a daily basis.
@AOC Definitely need to feature some support groups for all the teens kicked out by their families and made homeles… https://t.co/bcLInTY2Ne— tank, touching grace ✨ (@tank, touching grace ✨) 1559740795
And yet, whenever privileged men see a marginalized group of people with a moment dedicated to them, their first thought always seems to be "We deserve recognition too! Why don't WE have a parade in our honor?"
Who would even want to go to Straight Pride?
@AOC Conjuring the image of people marching in socks and sandals is a war crime FYI— Marion Teniade Johnson (@Marion Teniade Johnson) 1559741102
Many Twitter were glad AOC called out the Bostonian men for their selfish behavior.
@AOC You're my freaking hero. Period.— Michael King, Lover 💖 (@Michael King, Lover 💖) 1559740691
Happy Pride month, everybody! LGBTQ people have come a long way since the movement began at Stonewall, but there's still lots of work to do before the world achieved true equality under the law.
@AOC This is my response to those that want "Straight Pride" https://t.co/DkmGF5wWDS— RIZE | Gary Nelson 🏳️🌈 (@RIZE | Gary Nelson 🏳️🌈) 1559744758
People Who Were Told They Were 'Gifted' As Kids Reveal The Moment They Knew They Were Just Average
Everybody wants to be thought of as special. Every parent believes their child is special and gifted beyond measure and the rest of the world needs to bask in the glory of their offspring. That can be a lot of pressure for children to battle. Their is no ONE definition that makes anyone special. What is special? Or gifted? Having the I.Q. of Einstein doesn't make you accomplished or define your humanity. So when we discover our brain power is just as good as anybody's we learn that other things can be far more important to survival.
Redditor u/JayTheFearless wanted to hear the truth from those who have discovered they aren't quite as brilliant as they were lead to believe by wondering.... People who were told they were "gifted" growing up, how did you deal with realizing that you were pretty average?
Kids are smart. Some of them are scary smart - like kindergarteners who can do times tables, or elementary school students who can do long division in their heads. Let's hope these people end up running the world someday.
eaquino03 asked teachers of Reddit: What is your "this student is so smart it's scary" story?
Submissions have been edited for clarity, context, and profanity.
Wedding Planners Reveal The Worst Bride/Groomzillas They've Worked With
I'm gonna be honest with you guys, I've never been to a wedding where the bride or groom went total -zilla on everyone. I've seen some terrible parents, I've heard my fair share of unfortunate speeches - shout out to that one awkward a capella performance. So intimate; so terrible.
That doesn't mean I don't love some good bridal "chisme" - that's gossip; and it's a high art. The Puerto Rican women in my family have passed the skill down for generations. The elders are masters by now. The shade is subtle, the reads are so real - they're like the Hatori Hanzo's of talking sh*t.
Anyway, one Reddit user asked:
Wedding planners of Reddit, who was the worst bridezilla/groomzilla that you've had to deal with?
and like 14 generations of my ancestors rose up within me in unison like "READ IT!" and really who am I to deny my blood? I mean, it didn't work out well when Buffy The Vampire Slayer tried it. Okay, so first things first, the question was directed at wedding planners but everyone and their granny chimed in. Wouldn't you? You know you would.
Secondly, people are terrible human beings. There. I said it. So here are some of the responses that made me cringe, cackle, or cry the most - edited for language or clarity, of course. Have fun!