A Quote by David Bowie

Fame can take interesting men and thrust mediocrity upon them.

David Bowie

Quote Topics

Famous Fame Interesting Mediocrity Men Take Them Thrust

Quote Author

David Bowie
English - Musician
January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016

Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three. Even among men lacking all distinction he inevitably stood out as a man lacking more distinction than all the rest, and people who met him were always impressed by how unimpressive he was.

Joseph Heller

Men should soon make up their minds to be forgotten, and look about them, or within them, for some higher motive in what they do than the approbation of men, which is fame, namely, their duty; that they should be constantly and quietly at work, each in his sphere, regardless of effects, and leaving their fame to take care of itself.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Some people are born mediocre, some people achieve mediocrity, and some people have mediocrity thrust upon them.

Joseph Heller

Celebrities choose fame. Royals have it thrust on them.

Claire Foy

Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them.

John W. Gardner

It's interesting in seeing when I'm talking to men in particular and telling them I'm an actress versus a director and the different turn the conversation will take when I say I'm a director. The level of respect is very interesting.

Miriam Shor

How can a song all about struggling with the afterglow of fame thrust someone into fame? How can a lyric like, 'I'm just a singer who already blew his shot,' give a singer another shot? I don't know... but it's funny.

Mike Posner

Great men, unknown to their generation, have their fame among the great who have preceded them, and all true worldly fame subsides from their high estimate beyond the stars.

Henry David Thoreau

Some people may have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly, by “doin' what comes naturally”; and they don't stumble into it in the course of amusing themselves. All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.

John W. Gardner

Fame was initially this kind of blunt tool that was thrust into my hands very young.

Josh Hartnett

When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity.

Napoleon Bonaparte

We don't want to think about our weaknesses. We don't want to talk about them, and we certainly don't want anyone else to point them out. This is a classic sign of mediocrity, and this mediocrity has a firm grip on the Church and humanity at this moment in history.

Matthew Kelly

Attain and maintain a reputation, for it is the usufruct of fame. A stiff climb, for it is the issue of excellence, as rare as mediocrity is common.

Baltasar Gracian

In truth, I am nothing but a plodding mediocrity — please observe, a plodding mediocrity — for a mere mediocrity does not go very far, but a plodding one gets quite a distance. There is joy in that success, and a distinction can come from courage, fidelity and industry.

Benjamin Cardozo

You can't really fault people who are experiencing fame. They're just making their way through, and everybody around them is reflecting this fame right back at them. It's strange.