Past Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Past Quotes

"We make too much of that long groan which underlines the past."

"We make too much of that long groan which underlines the past."

Derek Walcott, Trinidadian Playwright

57

"Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past."

"Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past."

Berenice Abbott, American Photographer

Past, Photography, Present

46

"It should be clear to all, after the past ten years, that NATO isn't attacking Serbia because of Milosevic; it is attacking Milosevic because of Serbia."

"It should be clear to all, after the past ten years, that NATO isn't attacking Serbia because of Milosevic; it is attacking Milosevic because of Serbia."

Slobodan Milosevic, Yugoslavian Criminal

42

"Pursuing employment or climatic relief, we live in voluntary exile from our extended families and our longer past, but in an involuntary exile from ourselves and our own past."

"Pursuing employment or climatic relief, we live in voluntary exile from our extended families and our longer past, but in an involuntary exile from ourselves and our own past."

John Thorn, American Historian

39

"The past is malleable and flexible, changing as our recollection interprets and re-explains what has happened."

"The past is malleable and flexible, changing as our recollection interprets and re-explains what has happened."

Peter Berger, American Theologian

37

"The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the generation gap."

"The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the generation gap."

Spiro T. Agnew, American Politician

36

"What is past is prologue."

"What is past is prologue."

William Shakespeare, English Dramatist

36

"The past is what you remember, imagine you remember, convince yourself you remember, or pretend you remember."

"The past is what you remember, imagine you remember, convince yourself you remember, or pretend you remember."

Harold Pinter, English Dramatist

35

"When I left prison, I had to figure out how to embrace my past."

"When I left prison, I had to figure out how to embrace my past."

Fernando Flores, Chilean Politician

32

"Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable."

"Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable."

George S. Patton, American Soldier

30

"Kerry is an adult - he thinks things through. He learns from the present as well as the past. To George Bush, thinking things through is for sissies."

"Kerry is an adult - he thinks things through. He learns from the present as well as the past. To George Bush, thinking things through is for sissies."

Richard Dreyfuss, American Actor

Past, Present, Thinking

29

"What is buried in the past of one generation falls to the next to claim."

"What is buried in the past of one generation falls to the next to claim."

Susan Griffin, American Writer

28

"There is no prodigy in our profession. If you see all the great singer of the past, none of them are."

"There is no prodigy in our profession. If you see all the great singer of the past, none of them are."

Luciano Pavarotti, Italian Musician

Past, Profession

27

"Look to the past and remember no empire rises that sooner or later won't fall."

"Look to the past and remember no empire rises that sooner or later won't fall."

Al Stewart, Scottish Musician

27

"You can't undo the past... but you can certainly not repeat it."

"You can't undo the past... but you can certainly not repeat it."

Bruce Willis, American Actor

26

"Well, I wasn't going to tell anyone, but I've been seeing this really sweet guy for the past few weeks."

"Well, I wasn't going to tell anyone, but I've been seeing this really sweet guy for the past few weeks."

Amber Frey, American Celebrity

24

"One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present."

"One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present."

Golda Meir, Israeli Leader

23

"I want to praise activists through the years. I praise those of the past as well, to have them honored."

"I want to praise activists through the years. I praise those of the past as well, to have them honored."

Studs Terkel, American Journalist

Past, Praise, Want, Years

23

"Over the past several years, I've been more in a managerial role."

"Over the past several years, I've been more in a managerial role."

Dennis Ritchie, American Scientist

23

"There have been a lot of changes in recruit training in the past twenty years."

"There have been a lot of changes in recruit training in the past twenty years."

R. Lee Ermey, American Soldier

Past, Training, Years

23

"Lefty Grove could throw a lamb chop past a wolf."

"Lefty Grove could throw a lamb chop past a wolf."

Arthur Baer, American Humorist

23

"Nobody seriously believes in the social philosophies of the immediate past."

"Nobody seriously believes in the social philosophies of the immediate past."

Herbert Read, English Poet

23

"I was always attracted to the past as a kid."

"I was always attracted to the past as a kid."

Stanley Tucci, American Actor

22

"Never revisit the past, that's dangerous. You know, move on."

"Never revisit the past, that's dangerous. You know, move on."

Robert Redford, American Actor

22

"From depicting the past, so goes the suspicion, it is a short step to glorifying the past."

"From depicting the past, so goes the suspicion, it is a short step to glorifying the past."

Lion Feuchtwanger, German Novelist

Past, Suspicion

22

"So when you put the kick in and the other runners go past you, it's game over!"

"So when you put the kick in and the other runners go past you, it's game over!"

Michael East, American Athlete

22

"A novel is a static thing that one moves through; a play is a dynamic thing that moves past one."

"A novel is a static thing that one moves through; a play is a dynamic thing that moves past one."

Kenneth Tynan, English Critic

21

"Creeds and castes, and all forms of intellectual and emotional grouping, belong to the past."

"Creeds and castes, and all forms of intellectual and emotional grouping, belong to the past."

Herbert Read, English Poet

21

"We saw hundreds of programs to redevelop the central city, the neighborhoods, in the past."

"We saw hundreds of programs to redevelop the central city, the neighborhoods, in the past."

Jane Byrne, American Politician

21

"Ah, beware of snobbery; it is the unwelcome recognition of one's own past failings."

"Ah, beware of snobbery; it is the unwelcome recognition of one's own past failings."

Cary Grant, American Actor

21

"When you are forty, half of you belongs to the past... And when you are seventy, nearly all of you."

"When you are forty, half of you belongs to the past... And when you are seventy, nearly all of you."

Jean Anouilh, French Playwright

21

"The past cannot be cured."

"The past cannot be cured."

Elizabeth I, English Royalty

20

"I don't want to live on past records."

"I don't want to live on past records."

Barry Gibb, English Musician

20

"An expert is someone who knows a lot about the past."

"An expert is someone who knows a lot about the past."

Tom Hopkins, American Businessman

20

"My past is a bit checkered."

"My past is a bit checkered."

Kid Rock, American Musician

19

"And on this you have my pledge - unlike in the past, when you stood up and did what was right, this governor will not pull the rug out from underneath you - I will sign strong reform bills."

"And on this you have my pledge - unlike in the past, when you stood up and did what was right, this governor will not pull the rug out from underneath you - I will sign strong reform bills."

Chris Christie, American Politician

Past, Reform, Right, Will

19

"In reality, the past is preserved by itself automatically."

"In reality, the past is preserved by itself automatically."

Henri Bergson, French Scientist

18

"The segregated schools of today are arguably no more equal than the segregated schools of the past."

"The segregated schools of today are arguably no more equal than the segregated schools of the past."

Ed Markey, American Politician

Past, Schools, Today

18

"It's hard to avoid the past but one goes forward."

"It's hard to avoid the past but one goes forward."

Andy Summers, English Musician

18

"We have to look forward and keep filming new films and not get stuck in the past."

"We have to look forward and keep filming new films and not get stuck in the past."

Nick Park, British Director

18

"I wouldn't know any newer bands. We're past the pimple stage."

"I wouldn't know any newer bands. We're past the pimple stage."

Angus Young, Scottish Musician

18

"If you go too soon, you can come unstuck with 50m left when the guys are going past you."

"If you go too soon, you can come unstuck with 50m left when the guys are going past you."

Michael East, American Athlete

17

"In the past, I tried to be more of a typical session guitarist. I wasn't so concerned with impressing anybody."

"In the past, I tried to be more of a typical session guitarist. I wasn't so concerned with impressing anybody."

Brad Paisley, American Musician

17

"I'm competitive with myself. I always try to push past my own borders."

"I'm competitive with myself. I always try to push past my own borders."

Tyra Banks, American Model

17

"If we are to put the past on trial, where do we stop?"

"If we are to put the past on trial, where do we stop?"

Craig Shirley, American Author

17

"Polls are frequently taken to try to tease out or determine likely directions and trends, but once taken, they belong to the past, requiring that new polls be taken."

"Polls are frequently taken to try to tease out or determine likely directions and trends, but once taken, they belong to the past, requiring that new polls be taken."

Alan Dundes, American Educator

17

"Duncan Aldrich has been my partner in most recording projects, and touring projects, for the past decade."

"Duncan Aldrich has been my partner in most recording projects, and touring projects, for the past decade."

Warren Zevon, American Musician

17

"If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past."

"If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past."

Baruch Spinoza, Dutch Philosopher

Past, Present, Study, Want

16

"Some years I'm the coolest thing that ever happened, and then the next year everyone's so over me, and I'm just so past my sell date."

"Some years I'm the coolest thing that ever happened, and then the next year everyone's so over me, and I'm just so past my sell date."

Cher, American Musician

16

"I do like to drive fast and I have gotten pulled over in the past. I use my skills to get out of tickets."

"I do like to drive fast and I have gotten pulled over in the past. I use my skills to get out of tickets."

Josie Maran, American Model

16

bottom of page