I like quotes. Okay kiddies, that’s a lie.

I LOVE QUOTES.

Why? Because someone else was thinking, feeling, and/or experiencing something I think, feel, or have experienced. And they were capable of putting it into words.

Articulating my emotions?

Not always my strong suit. Don’t worry though, I’ll survive.

Plus, quotes make sense and sometimes I don’t even know what’s going on in my own mind. They can give me a perspective I’ve never thought of. Or, you know, they can just be cool. Motivational. Poignant. Point is, I think they’re needed.

Haters are going to hate, yes. But sheesh, can you stop hating on random quotes just because of who wrote/said them please? Recently, I read a post on someone bashing a few quotes by Marilyn Monroe. For Pete’s sake, why?

I think all the hating has more to do with her and less to do with her words and their meaning.

Not the point of a quote, people.

I don’t know about you, but I never knew Marilyn Monroe. I didn’t go grab coffee with her, we didn’t do our makeup together or do whatever it was that she did. What I do know, is regardless of how she meant it or whether or not her actions backed it up, she had three things to say which I like.

“I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil.” – Marilyn Monroe

Simply put but it carries some weight. So why do people hate on what she said? I love tons of quotes even though I know absolutely nothing about their authors.

I don’t look up anything about who wrote the quote on purpose. I don’t want to ruin it for myself. Art is pure. People are not.

That’s why we need art.

You know how they say that life is what we make it and reality is dependent on each person’s perceptions?

Yeah. That.

What your words say to me might not be what your words say to my uncle Bob down south. Words carry different meanings for different people. Personally, I’m not going to mess around with what the person meant if all I’m going to do is use a quote by them, which will in no way come back to haunt me.

Don’t worry, I’m not dumb enough to quote some guy spouting his murder spree in meter and use it metaphorically for something in my life.

I’m just saying, stop caring so much about the person and start caring about their art. If they’re annoying or contradictory, etc, that doesn’t mean their words don’t have a good meaning. People are creatures of habit. They’ll figure out they’re doing something wrong, they’ll know they should change and they’ll comment on it all the time. But, do they do anything about it? Nope. Doesn’t mean their words can’t help someone else, doesn’t mean their words aren’t any less true.

I like music, but I don’t let the musician, artist, singer, whatever, mess with my enjoyment of the art they created. I don’t listen to music for the artist. I listen to music … for the music. *gasp*

Yes, with music, I’m more likely to enjoy it if there is real emotion infusing it, but like I said, they may feel that emotion then and never again feel it or they may never act on it. Just like you might say something but never act on it.

Not everyone practices what they preach.

“I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let people fool themselves. They didn’t bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn’t argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn’t.” – Marilyn Monroe

Think about a parent. Knocked up at age sixteen and preaching abstinence to their children. Hypocritical as all get out, but they’re trying to teach you something worthwhile so you don’t have to learn, and live to regret it, yourself.

If I tell you not to get yourself killed. And then go out and get myself killed. Are my words any less important?

Um, not unless you want to get yourself killed.

All I’m saying is, stop being so judgey. So this person or that person said and did two opposing things. Doesn’t mean their advice isn’t worth hearing.

Don’t drag someone and their life through the mud and then connect it to something they said. What if that quote you just stomped on motivated someone to quit an addiction that was close to claiming their life? What if, instead of just stomping on that quote and the person who said it, you’re stomping the hope out of someone?

People need words. We need hope.

Taking that away is cruel and childish.

If you have a problem with an actor, singer, model, etc. don’t take it out on the good advice, the art they left behind.

I love art. Its raw emotion captured.  People drive me insane when they search as hard as possible for some way to discredit or cheapen things that have meaning. I’m enjoying the art. Not the person.

Is there something so bad about that?

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” – Marilyn Monroe