Octavia E. Butler Quotes
Quotes to Explore
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Ignorance of what real learning is, and a consequent suspicion of it; materialism, and a consequent intellectual laxity, both of these have done destructive work in the colleges.
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I wrote my first song when I was six or seven, a silly little song. But I used to write poems in high school - not songs.
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Set the foot down with distrust on the crust of the world - it is thin.
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When did you last have fun being dignified?
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The line between anime and regular animation is very difficult to cross, even for people who have been doing anime successfully for years.
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I pay attention to lyrics and I know what rap fans care about. I try to write for the average listener and I'm conscious of the mainstream without selling out.
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A man is usually more careful of his money than he is of his principles.
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Getting emotional about things is a peacetime luxury. In wartime, it's much too painful.
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Never put your family, friends, or significant other low on your priority list. Prefer a handful of truly close friends to a hundred acquaintances.
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I am crumbling in sync with old Hackney.
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I love working and I love doing lots of things and a variety of things. It keeps your mind active... and you don't end up worrying about just the one thing. When I chew things over or analyze too much, that is when I can trip myself up.
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I can say that I had a particularly painful teenage-hood.
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Making a donation is the ultimate sign of solidarity. Actions speak louder than words.
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Prince, you never knew what to expect from him from one album to the next. Miles Davis was like that. You know, once you get used to one style, boom, he switched it and, you know, switched gears on you. So those artists are very exciting to me, very exciting to follow their path, you know, and their journey.
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Collaboration is no longer painful - or precious.
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'Now you understand,' Rarm said to me. 'It was the last cut against yourself to become convinced of your own hideousness. You held to it and nurtured it, and even identified with the devil goddess of Orash in your determination to be accursed. And it never occurred to you that perhaps you saw a false image under the mountain.'
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Find time still to be learning somewhat good, and give up being desultory.
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I'm not just looking to be famous and attach myself to famous names. I want to make history in the business in terms of creativity.
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Falling in love is painful on the knees.
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We've only been wealthy in this country for 70 years. Who said we ought to have all this? Is it ordained?
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It's fear of the unknown. The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that-it's all illusion. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it's unknown and it's plain sailing. Everything is unknown-then you're ahead of the game. That's what it is. Right?
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I never thought I was salable. I learned in my second year of drama school that I was not a leading man - I was a character actor. So I thought, "I'd better be the best character actor around.
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If you want to be given everything, give everything up.
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Rejections are painful, but inevitable. They're every writer's rite of passage.
