AtomicWorkshop

Where are these quotes coming from

I’ve noticed an increasing trend of people attaching notable (and quite un-notable) quotes to their email and comment signatures–not here of course, in the backwater of the internet. Where the heck do they get them? Are people simply keeping a copy of Roget’s near their desk when they write in? I’m probably a doofus, but where the heck are these quotes coming from?

Automatically generated content based quotes
While pontificating upon this topic, I came up with what I hope is a novel concept: a content based generated quote.

There has been much work done in this field.

Gmail automatically displays ads based upon your email messages. Just this morning, after emailing my POSLQ information about the Flying Spaghetti Monster and His chosen wardrobe–full pirate regalia–several ads for pirate costuming appeared.

Speeches.com offers to write a speech for you after answering some brief questions. Here is a “Farewell” speech to my “coworker” “Richard” who can be described as (1)”compassionate” and (2)”principled” and who was (free response) “always stealing my ham sandwiches out of the fridge.”

So this is goodbye, Richard.
We’ll miss you.
One way or another, you’ve had quite an impact on this place.
And you’ll leave quite a gap here.
But we won’t have any shortage of memories.
We’ll remember you for being compassionate.
We’ll remember you for being principled.
And if we’re honest, we’ll also remember you for always stealing my ham sandwiches out of the fridge.
Most of all, though, we’ll remember you for being a great person to have around.

Sure it’s a piece of crap that no one in their right mind and more charisma than a rock would ever say, but it was generated, automatically. That’s technology baby. I also feel I should mention that was just from my “Free Trial.” They actually charge for that shit.

So those are just two examples of how stuff can be automatically generated, one good, one horribly awful. Where do these quotes come in.

Why not automatically scan the content of your email (etc.) and automatically find a notable quote that is related? That way your arguments are backed up by someone who is probably dead, had people writing down what they said when they were alive, and may have had good friends in the quote publishing business. It just screams Appeal to Authority.

Any grandmother would feel more loved if, after 4 hours and three of her friends and their grandchildren helping to turn on her computer and check her email, she not only read your holiday greeting but also received this quote: ” ‘If youth knew; if age could.’ - Sigmund Freud”.

I think it sounds like a great concept. I’m a little tired of people sending me emails of how horrible their life is, followed by some inspirational and uplifting quote. Tell me how it really is:

“Point me out the happy man and I will point you out either extreme egotism, evil - or else an absolute ignorance.”
~The Heart of the Matter (1948) by Graham Greene~
Book 2, Part 1, Chapter 1-3

I just pasted everything above this paragraph into the search field of wikiquote. This is what it came up with. Wow.

I sometimes hold it half a sin
To put in words the grief I feel;
For words, like Nature, half reveal
And half conceal the Soul within.
~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson ~

This entry was posted on Monday, September 12th, 2005 at 10:09 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.