"Attribute your quotes so people know who they're disagreeing with." —Me
Where do quotes come from? Is it always another's experiences felt and processed into an aphorism of sorts for others to recycle and put on a wisdom pedestal?
"Quote v., to repeat or copy out (a group of words from a text or speech), typically with an indication that one is not the original author or speaker. n., a quotation from a text or speech." —The Oxford English Dictionary
And when one is the original author then it's a note. Because quotes are exclusively only made by others. Never oneself!
It is excruciatingly impossible for one to think deep enough, broad enough to quote oneself.
Form and function are the morphology of grammar pragmatics : noun ;verbs.
"Quote, v., to repeat or copy out a group of words from a text or speech, typically with an indication that one is not the original author or speaker." —The Oxford English Dictionary
"By trying too hard to seem normal, you can make yourself seem abnormal." —Darren Walker, June 2012, Notebook Two
Assuming that one is NOT the original author or speaker.
Assuming that one is copying or repeating without quotation marks.
Assuming that one needs quotation marks to repeat or copy oneself.
Assuming that one is trying to be normal. Assuming that normal is always what the reader thinks it is. That the author or speaker's normal is the reader's or listener's normal.
Assuming that one's way of viewing or perceiving is the exclusive world class accepted and acceptable standard.
Assuming that speech and communication are always static and binary.
Assumptions, presumptions, perceptions all part of the confluence of humanity.
It's not the who as in the what and at times how that matters.
Diversity is a gift that is misunderstood, underappreciated and taken for granted. If one has never lived it organically one has no felt understanding of what it is or means. It is so much more than just being different.
"abnormal, adj. Not conforming to standard. In matters of thought and conduct, to be independent is to be abnormal, to be abnormal is to be detested. Wherefore the lexicographer adviseth a striving toward the straiter resemblance of the Average Man than he hath to himself. Whoso attaineth thereto shall have peace, the prospect of death and the hope of Hell." —Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
Psychologists refer to a character "trait", which can be neutral or even positive, but most lay people consider the word to have a negative connotation.
"Abnormal" has a similar negative connotation, even if it isn't, like those first people who said a few hundred years ago "Hey guys, you know this slavery business ? Does anyone else feel a bit uncomfortable about it ?"
Ab: away from.....the issue is the what .... Perhaps even the how...
Another construct defined from a social, psycho social perspective.
If "normal' were a person what would s/he look like? If 'normal' is a thing what does it seem or look like, feel like, smell like or sound like?
Standards are abstract values that inform and dictate behavior. By what degree do we measure something or someone's worth or value by their perceived ability to or action in being compliant with such standards whatever they maybe?
Perhaps that's a subject matter for a different thread. 💗
"The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of any thing, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" —Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Every thought in its own context. Every quotation for it's own convenience. Who said it matters very little if the message is not held and felt by others.
Cuddles are only for the very smart, thoughtful and ingenious few with necessary resources to pay or beg for it.
"You must unlearn, what you have learned" - Yoda
"with great power, comes great responsibility" - Spiderman's dad
"Difficult decisions are the privilege of rank" - Oberst Kurt Steiner, "The Eagle Has Landed"
"I want someone to look at me, the way I look at bacon" - all over the Internet
A Discworld quote, dark text on a light background, reading: "Many people could say things in a cutting way, Nanny knew. But Granny Weatherwax could listen in a cutting way. She could make something sound stupid just by hearing it."
"The key to a happy Sunday is a Korean man from Newark" -Abraham Lincoln (Yahoo Sports - May, 2014)