Past Quotes | Beyond Motive

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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

40

"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

37

"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

34

"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

32

"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

29

"What is past is prologue."

"What is past is prologue."

William Shakespeare, English Dramatist

28

"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

27

"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

26

"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

25

"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

22

"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

21

"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

21

"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

21

"The past cannot be cured."

"The past cannot be cured."

Elizabeth I, English Royalty

17

"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

17

"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

16

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

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

Arthur Baer, American Humorist

16

"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

16

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

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

Stanley Tucci, American Actor

15

"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

15

"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

14

"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

14

"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

13

"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

13

"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

13

"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

12

"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

12

"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

12

"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

12

"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

11

"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

11

"The other inmates stand in a long straight line, flanked by guards, and I am dragged past them. I do not respect them, because they will not run - will not try to escape."

"The other inmates stand in a long straight line, flanked by guards, and I am dragged past them. I do not respect them, because they will not run - will not try to escape."

Jack Henry Abbott, American Author

Past, Respect, Will

11

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

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

Henri Bergson, French Scientist

11

"Because usually in the past when I was in a big band, that was all I did."

"Because usually in the past when I was in a big band, that was all I did."

Kathy Valentine, American Musician

11

"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

11

"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

11

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

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

Barry Gibb, English Musician

10

"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

10

"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

10

"The past becomes a texture, an ambience to our present."

"The past becomes a texture, an ambience to our present."

Paul Scott, British Novelist

10

"I have been wounded like this since about half past eight this morning and I will tell you how it happened."

"I have been wounded like this since about half past eight this morning and I will tell you how it happened."

Francesco Borromini, Swiss Architect

10

"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

10

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

George Santayana, American Philosopher

10

"I have had many opportunities to visit universities all over the world in the past 50 years."

"I have had many opportunities to visit universities all over the world in the past 50 years."

John Pople, English Scientist

Past, Visit, World, Years

10

"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

10

"If you're ever wishing for things to go back to the way they were. You just have to look up."

"If you're ever wishing for things to go back to the way they were. You just have to look up."

Lauren Oliver, American Author

Past, Nostalgia, Memory, Perspective, Change

10

"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

10

"As we get past our superficial material wants and instant gratification we connect to a deeper part of ourselves, as well as to others, and the universe."

"As we get past our superficial material wants and instant gratification we connect to a deeper part of ourselves, as well as to others, and the universe."

Judith Wright, Australian Poet

9

"Schumacher wouldn't have let him past voluntarily. Of course he did it voluntarily, but he had to do it."

"Schumacher wouldn't have let him past voluntarily. Of course he did it voluntarily, but he had to do it."

Murray Walker, English Entertainer

9

"It's been dawning on me slowly that for the past 35 years I have been cast against type, and I'm finally getting to do what I really wanted to do."

"It's been dawning on me slowly that for the past 35 years I have been cast against type, and I'm finally getting to do what I really wanted to do."

Leslie Nielsen, Canadian Actor

9

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