1980s

Explore 532 quotes from the 1980s

The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency-the belief that the here and now is all there is.

Allan Bloom

The Closing of the American Mind

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Topic

Ignorance of history Books

Author

Allan Bloom

Source

The Closing of the American Mind

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Bloom, Allan. The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students. Simon & Schuster, 1987.

What I am describing now is a plan and a hope for the long term—the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash-heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the self-expression of the people.

Ronald Reagan

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Topic

Spread of freedom and democracy

Speaker

Ronald Reagan

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1982 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Reagan, Ronald. Address to British Parliament. Parliament meeting. 8 June 1982, Palace of Westminster, London, England, UK.

I have spoken of a Thousand Points of Light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led.

George H.W. Bush

Inaugural Address of George H.W. Bush

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Topic

Subsidiarity Limited government

Speaker

George H.W. Bush

Source

Inaugural Address of George H.W. Bush Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Bush, George H. W. "Inaugural Address." 20 Jan. 1989, West Front, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Love...is not a big enough word. It's not a big enough word for how I feel about my wife.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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Topic

Marriage Relationships Love

Speaker

Del Griffith

Actor

John Candy

Source

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Medium

Film

Genre

Road movie Comedy (film) Comedy

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Directed by John Hughes, Hughes Entertainment, 1987.

We'd only been gone two days but somehow the town seemed different; smaller.

Stand By Me

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Topic

Growing up

Speaker

The Writer

Actor

Richard Dreyfuss

Source

Stand By Me

Medium

Film

Genre

Coming of age (film) Coming of age

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Stand By Me. Directed by Rob Reiner, Act III Productions, 1986.

What can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished? The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of you and I, there is little choice other than to leave our fate, ultimately, in the hands of those great gentlemen at the hub of this world who employ our services. What is the point in worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one’s life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that is in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment.

Kazuo Ishiguro

The Remains of the Day

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Topic

Dwelling on the past Regrets The past

Author

Kazuo Ishiguro

Source

The Remains of the Day

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Remains of the Day. Faber & Faber, 1989.

Information almost wants to be free.

Stewart Brand

More information about this quote

Topic

Information Ideas Intellectual property

Author

Stewart Brand

Source

The Hackers Conference

Language

English

Time

1984 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 0

Citation

Brand, Stewart. Spoken during a conversation with Steve Wosniak. The First Hackers Conference. Nov. 1984, Marin County, San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA.

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.

Carl Sagan

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Topic

Apple pie Origin of the universe The universe

Speaker

Carl Sagan

Source

Cosmos

Medium

TV program

Language

English

Time

1980 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

"The Lives of Stars." Presented by Carl Sagan. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, season 1, episode 8. PBS, 23 Nov. 1980.

Mister, if you don’t shut up, I’m gonna kick 100 percent of your ass!

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

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Topic

Shutting up

Speaker

Brad Hamilton

Actor

Judge Reinhold

Source

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Medium

Film

Genre

Coming of age (film) Comedy (drama) Coming of age Comedy drama

Statement Type

Threat

Language

English

Time

1982 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Directed by Amy Heckerling,Refugee Films, 1982.

The people have the power
The power to dream, to rule
To wrestle the earth from fools.

Patti Smith

People Have the Power

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Author

Patti Smith

Source

People Have the Power Dream of Life

Medium

Song

Genre

Rock music

Language

English

Time

1988 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Smith, Patti and Fred Smith. "People Have the Power." Performed by Patti Smith. Dream of Life. Arista, 1988.

The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burned so very very brightly, Roy.

Blade Runner

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Topic

Living life to the fullest Dying young

Speaker

Dr. Eldon Tyrell

Actor

Joe Turkel

Source

Blade Runner

Medium

Film

Genre

Dystopian (film) Science fiction (film) Dystopian Science fiction

Language

English

Time

1982 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Blade Runner. Directed by Ridley Scott, The Ladd Company/Blade Runner Partnership/Shaw Brothers Studio, 1982.

I weep for the future.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

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Topic

Kids these days The future

Speaker

Chez Quis Maitre D'

Actor

Jonathan Schmock

Source

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Medium

Film

Genre

Teen comedy (film) Teen (film) Teen comedy Teen

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Directed by John Hughes. Paramount Pictures, 1986.

We're all gonna have so much fucking fun we're gonna need plastic surgery to remove our goddamn smiles!

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

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Topic

Having fun Smiling

Speaker

Clark Griswold

Actor

Chevy Chase

Source

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Medium

Film

Genre

Christmas (film) Comedy (film) Christmas Comedy

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik, Hughes Entertainment, 1989.

We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion and medicine, law, business, engineering. These are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

Dead Poets Society

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Topic

Poetry Purpose of life Life

Speaker

John Keating

Actor

Robin Williams

Source

Dead Poets Society

Medium

Film

Genre

Teen (film) Drama (film) Teen Drama

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Dead Poets Society. Directed by Peter Weir, Touchstone Pictures/Silver Screen Partners IV, 1989.

People will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

Neil Postman

Amusing Ourselves to Death

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Topic

Downsides of technology

Author

Neil Postman

Source

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Language

English

Time

1984 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. Viking Penguin/Methuen Publishing, 1985, foreword.

The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless.

Alan Watts

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of life Life Permanence Impermanence

Author

Alan Watts

Source

Play to Live

Genre

Religious literature Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1982 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Watts, Alan. Play to Live: Selected Seminars. And Books, 1982.

There's something about this that's so black, it's like how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.

This is Spinal Tap

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Topic

Black Color

Speaker

Nigel Tufnel

Actor

Christopher Guest

Source

This is Spinal Tap

Medium

Film

Genre

Mockumentary Comedy (film) Comedy

Language

English

Time

1984 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

This is Spinal Tap. Directed by Rob Reiner, Spinal Tap Prod., 1984.

Jefe, you do not understand women. You cannot force open the petals of a flower. When the flower is ready, it opens itself up to you.

El Guapo

Three Amigos!

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Topic

Nature of women Pursuing women Men and women Women

Speaker

El Guapo

Actor

Alfonso Arau

Source

Three Amigos!

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy (film) Western (film) Comedy Western

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Three Amigos. Directed by John Landis, Orion Pictures, 1986.

I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought.

Gordon Gekko

Wall Street

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Topic

Rolling the dice Taking risks

Speaker

Gordon Gekko

Actor

Michael Douglas

Source

Wall Street

Medium

Film

Genre

Drama (film) Drama

Language

English

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Wall Street. Directed by Oliver Stone, American Entertainment Partners/American Films, 1987.

I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.

When Harry Met Sally…

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Topic

Being in love Love

Speaker

Harry Burns

Actor

Billy Crystal

Source

When Harry Met Sally…

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic comedy (film) Comedy (film) Romantic comedy Comedy

Statement Type

Profession of love

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

When Harry Met Sally... Directed by Rob Reiner, Nelson Entertainment/Castle Rock Entertainment, 1989.