The strongest characteristic of art is that it belongs to the individual. Art is an expression of individualism and the opposite of oppressive dogma.
— Ai WeiweiChinese Artist & Dissident; Prominent Human Rights Activist and Political Critic
“The level of preparation before fighters' step into the octagon is huge – at minimum fighters will train for 6-8 week, non-stop at camp, just for this 3 or 5, 5 minute-a-round battle. It is the loneliest sport in the world when it comes to it…. you are training with your team, but once you enter the octagon and that gate closes? It is you alone.”— Bruce Buffer
UFC and Pride Fighting Championships Announcer
The quote archive
Philosophy
A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.
There's a beauty in the truth which is undeniable. It's a tragedy in a way- sometimes we just need to understand what the hell we've truly lost.
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
True art, real art, real creativity, comes from somewhere else. It isn't about a picture or decoration- there's a divinity to it…
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
Art is a vocation for me, not a career, not a job… you wouldn't say to a nun. 'so, how did you get into God?'
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
Everyone can perform magic, everyone can reach his goals, if he is able to think, if he is able to wait, if he is able to fast. We all have the ability to perform magic, to endure, to push ourselves beyond our limits, if we have the patience and the resilience.
— David BlaineIllusionist & Street Magician Known for Endurance Stunts & Television Specials
The way you eliminate fear is to approach your situation from every angle, almost as though it were a logic puzzle. I like to think of it as approaching like a tortoise, not like a hare.
— David BlaineIllusionist & Street Magician Known for Endurance Stunts & Television Specials
Humans often come together by believing in ideas that may only exist in our imaginations. We have an ability to imagine together, to merge our ideas as a collective, which can slowly move us toward a future once believed to be impossible. This is part of what changes us from being simple animals to a group that will soon travel to Mars and perhaps even further. To me that is magic.
— David BlaineIllusionist & Street Magician Known for Endurance Stunts & Television Specials
I'm 65 years old, and one of the things that amazes me is the number of people who work to get to a certain level of success in showbusiness, and then quit to go play golf?! There is nothing else I would want to do in this world.
— Penn JilletteMagician, Illusionist & Half of Penn & Teller Duo
When we were first able to make approximately what our fathers made by doing performance, we considered ourselves completely successful and had no ambition beyond that. If we were playing fairs and cruise ships, we were happy.
— Penn JilletteMagician, Illusionist & Half of Penn & Teller Duo
My interest is not whether something could dematerialize in my hand, but how people can be misled. You can this very dangerous thing- lying- and make it safe to play around with.
— Penn JilletteMagician, Illusionist & Half of Penn & Teller Duo
Magic is this incredibly weird bondage and discipline you make where you say to someone, 'do this thing to me that's morally wrong… you have my consent…' – once you give your consent, the morality changes.
— Penn JilletteMagician, Illusionist & Half of Penn & Teller Duo
An actor who isn't acting becomes a sort of non-person. If you're not acting, what are you?
— Sam NeillActor best known for Jurassic Park and The Piano films
There's also a danger in acting of identifying yourself as an actor. We have to try to identify ourselves as human beings first, and our jobs second. I'm Sam, I act sometimes… not I am Sam, I am an actor. What I do is separate to me.
— Sam NeillActor best known for Jurassic Park and The Piano films
What novels do is to turn the tide and restore our individuality. The writer is alone when s/he is writing, the reader is alone when s/he is reading. This bond is precious.
— Elif ShafakTurkish-British novelist and author of "The Forty Rules of Love
They help us to understand that there is no 'us' versus 'them', and that 'The Other' is, in fact, my brother, my sister; the other is me.
— Elif ShafakTurkish-British novelist and author of "The Forty Rules of Love
Stories help us to develop cognitive flexibility, strengthen our epistemic muscles. It is an intellectual growth but also a spiritual one. It changes us deep inside. Stories rehumanize those who have been dehumanized.
— Elif ShafakTurkish-British novelist and author of "The Forty Rules of Love