Obvious Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Obvious Quotes

"The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer."

"The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer."

Edward R. Murrow, American Journalist

17

"It is obvious that when I shot him I intended to kill him."

"It is obvious that when I shot him I intended to kill him."

Ruth Ellis, British Criminal

9

"Never assume the obvious is true."

"Never assume the obvious is true."

William Safire, American Author

7

"It's like our relationship is always about the other side that isn't the obvious side."

"It's like our relationship is always about the other side that isn't the obvious side."

Rosario Dawson, American Actress

7

"The rule which should guide us in such cases is simple and obvious enough: that the aggregate testimony of our neighbours is subject to the same conditions as the testimony of any one of them."

"The rule which should guide us in such cases is simple and obvious enough: that the aggregate testimony of our neighbours is subject to the same conditions as the testimony of any one of them."

William Kingdon Clifford, English Mathematician

6

"I see no reason for recording the obvious."

"I see no reason for recording the obvious."

Edward Weston, American Photographer

Obvious, Reason

6

"The most important things to say are those which often I did not think necessary for me to say - because they were too obvious."

"The most important things to say are those which often I did not think necessary for me to say - because they were too obvious."

Andre Gide, French Novelist

6

"To spell out the obvious is often to call it in question."

"To spell out the obvious is often to call it in question."

Eric Hoffer, American Writer

Obvious, Question

5

"Don't be too clever for an audience. Make it obvious. Make the subtleties obvious also."

"Don't be too clever for an audience. Make it obvious. Make the subtleties obvious also."

Billy Wilder, American Director

5

"Every once in while, a person will do something obvious and direct that is no more than it appears to be. I think they do it to throw you off."

"Every once in while, a person will do something obvious and direct that is no more than it appears to be. I think they do it to throw you off."

Steven Brust, American Author

5

"If we win, someone else loses. But if someone else loses, we lose. Which is a point we're not getting. The new spirituality will make this just painfully obvious."

"If we win, someone else loses. But if someone else loses, we lose. Which is a point we're not getting. The new spirituality will make this just painfully obvious."

Neale Donald Walsch, American Author

Obvious, Spirituality, Will

5

"What can I do, I asked myself, that is so spectacular that no one will be able to say he had seen it before? The answer was perfectly obvious. I would send a midget up to bat."

"What can I do, I asked myself, that is so spectacular that no one will be able to say he had seen it before? The answer was perfectly obvious. I would send a midget up to bat."

Bill Veeck, American Businessman

5

"What has 'theology' ever said that is of the smallest use to anybody? When has 'theology' ever said anything that is demonstrably true and is not obvious? What makes you think that 'theology' is a subject at all?"

"What has 'theology' ever said that is of the smallest use to anybody? When has 'theology' ever said anything that is demonstrably true and is not obvious? What makes you think that 'theology' is a subject at all?"

Richard Dawkins, English Scientist

5

"With everything it has to offer, Las Vegas is an obvious destination for tourists, as proven by the over 40 million visitors the city welcomes per year."

"With everything it has to offer, Las Vegas is an obvious destination for tourists, as proven by the over 40 million visitors the city welcomes per year."

Jon Porter, American Politician

Obvious, Tourists

4

"No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious."

"No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious."

George Bernard Shaw, Irish Dramatist

Obvious, Question

4

"I will always admit immediately to what's obvious, which is that Homo sapiens is inherently erotic or inherently sensual from birth."

"I will always admit immediately to what's obvious, which is that Homo sapiens is inherently erotic or inherently sensual from birth."

Jock Sturges, American Photographer

4

"It was obvious what kind of game they were playing on the set of Amityville."

"It was obvious what kind of game they were playing on the set of Amityville."

Margot Kidder, American Actress

4

"It is obvious that different individuals require different things to live good, healthy, and virtuous lives."

"It is obvious that different individuals require different things to live good, healthy, and virtuous lives."

Tom G. Palmer, American Educator

4

"I could have begged. They made it obvious to me that if I wanted to come back and be a good boy... but I'd rather be in Roots than Good Times."

"I could have begged. They made it obvious to me that if I wanted to come back and be a good boy... but I'd rather be in Roots than Good Times."

John Amos, American Actor

4

"I wanted to use what I was, to be what I was born to be - not to have a 'career', but to be that straightforward obvious unmistakable animal, a writer."

"I wanted to use what I was, to be what I was born to be - not to have a 'career', but to be that straightforward obvious unmistakable animal, a writer."

Cynthia Ozick, American Novelist

Obvious, Writer

4

"When somebody says that all statements are false, the obvious problem is that as an assertion it's self-defeating."

"When somebody says that all statements are false, the obvious problem is that as an assertion it's self-defeating."

Henry Flynt, American Artist

4

"The great discoveries are usually obvious."

"The great discoveries are usually obvious."

Phil Crosby, American Author

4

"There is perhaps no more obvious vanity than to write of it so vainly."

"There is perhaps no more obvious vanity than to write of it so vainly."

Michel de Montaigne, French Philosopher

Obvious, Vanity

3

"We came back right over the World Trade Center and could see, even from that altitude, the devastation, the smoke that was coming up. It was obvious it was going to be horrible."

"We came back right over the World Trade Center and could see, even from that altitude, the devastation, the smoke that was coming up. It was obvious it was going to be horrible."

Hugh Shelton, American Soldier

Obvious, Right, Trade, World

3

"It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety."

"It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety."

Isaac Asimov, American Scientist

Obvious, Reputation

3

"The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply."

"The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply."

Khalil Gibran, Lebanese Poet

3

"Sometimes you could tell what it was about - it was interesting - and sometimes it was quite obvious that someone had lost it and it was on an endless loop."

"Sometimes you could tell what it was about - it was interesting - and sometimes it was quite obvious that someone had lost it and it was on an endless loop."

Todd Rundgren, American Musician

3

"Most of the research which is done is determined by the requirement that it shall, in a fairly obvious and predictable way, reinforce the approved or fashionable theories."

"Most of the research which is done is determined by the requirement that it shall, in a fairly obvious and predictable way, reinforce the approved or fashionable theories."

Celia Green, British Author

Obvious, Research, Theories

3

"I'm planning a different show, though for obvious reasons some of the material will be the same, and of course I will perform material from the new CD."

"I'm planning a different show, though for obvious reasons some of the material will be the same, and of course I will perform material from the new CD."

George Duke, American Musician

Obvious, Planning, Will

3

"It'll become obvious that we've really been working against ourselves."

"It'll become obvious that we've really been working against ourselves."

Neale Donald Walsch, American Author

3

"Sometimes I read a script and it's obvious from early on that it's one where the suspension of disbelief has to develop strongly from page one. Some are more reality-based."

"Sometimes I read a script and it's obvious from early on that it's one where the suspension of disbelief has to develop strongly from page one. Some are more reality-based."

Gillian Anderson, American Actress

Obvious, Reality

2

"That's the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they've been all along."

"That's the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they've been all along."

Madeleine L'Engle, American Novelist

2

"On several occasions President Kennedy encouraged me to take a lover, an obvious sign he also had some himself."

"On several occasions President Kennedy encouraged me to take a lover, an obvious sign he also had some himself."

Pierre Salinger, American Public Servant

Obvious, President

2

"If we think about the obvious long enough, it dissolves."

"If we think about the obvious long enough, it dissolves."

Mason Cooley, American Writer

1

"Your battles inspired me - not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead."

"Your battles inspired me - not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead."

James Joyce, Irish Novelist

1

bottom of page