“Can you be happy with the movies, and the ads, and the clothes in the stores, and the doctors, and the eyes as you walk down the street all telling you there is something wrong with you? No. You cannot be happy. Because, you poor darling baby, you believe them.”

— Katherine Dunn , book Geek Love

Geek Love (1989)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Can you be happy with the movies, and the ads, and the clothes in the stores, and the doctors, and the eyes as you walk…" by Katherine Dunn?

Katherine Dunn 20

American novelist, journalist, poet 1945–2016

Related quotes

“Yet happiness isn't something you chase, it's something you are. It's something you think, it's something you believe.”

Jane Porter (1776–1850) Scottish historical novelist, dramatist and literary figure

Source: Odd Mom Out

“… he said, with sort of a little derisive smile, "How can you walk down the street with all this stuff going on inside you?" I said, "I don't know how you can walk down the street with nothing going on inside you.”

Nelson Algren (1909–1981) American novelist, short story writer

“You are unhappy because you believe in such a thing as happy.”

Lorrie Moore (1957) American writer

“Could you look me in the eye? And tell me that you're happy now? Would you tell it to my face? Or have I been erased? Are you happy now?”

Michelle Branch (1983) American singer-songwriter and guitarist

"Are You Happy Now?"
2000s, Hotel Paper (2003)
Context: Now, don't just walk away. Pretending everything's okay, and you don't care about me. And I know there's just no use, when all your lies become your truths and I don't care. Could you look me in the eye? And tell me that you're happy now? Would you tell it to my face? Or have I been erased? Are you happy now? Are you happy now?

“Movies are much more fascist than books. They tell you what to feel, when to feel it. Popular movies manipulate you. Music tells you when it's a sad part and when it's a happy part. You're obliged to watch them at the speed the filmmaker has created for you. That, I think, is one of the reasons why they're so popular - because you don't have to think very hard. The filmmaker has done all the thinking for you.”

Clive Barker (1952) author, film director and visual artist

"Clive Barker: Love, Death, & the Whole Damned Thing", Locus (1995)

“I don't think you tell someone you love them because you expect something. I think you tell them because you have something to give.”

Nora Roberts book Bed of Roses

Source: Bed of Roses

“What good are all these books to you? You can't eat them! How can they make you happy?”

Peter Greenaway (1942) British film director

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover

“Did you know that baby,
You're the bluebird in my sky,
I only want to make you happy
Because I love you see you fly”

Nick Carter (1980) singer from the United States

“Once upon a time I drank a little wine,
was as happy as could be, happy as could be,
Now I'm just like a cat on a hot tin roof,
Baby, what do you think you're doing to me?
Told you once before
and I won't tell you no more,
so get down, get down, get down
You're a bad dog, Baby
but I still want you around, around
I still want you around
Hey hey hey”

Gilbert O'Sullivan (1946) Irish singer-songwriter

"Get Down" (song)
Song lyrics
Source: Gilbert O'Sullivan, "Get Down" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXl5P2xO9-o (song on YouTube)
Source: (+ Duet with Lulu. On YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlqoiBV6ETs

“Sometimes if you go to see a very, very, happy movie, a Hollywood movie, you can walk out of the movie and feel very depressed because it's so false. And other times you see a very depressing movie and it makes you feel good, happy because you've seen something real. You've seen something that talks to you and says that your bad feelings are legitimate. And then you can go further with that and say, "Well, this bad feeling is good, and this good feeling is bad, but is it good to feel bad and is it bad to feel good?" I'm concerned with feelings. And sometimes when I feel good, I'll write something very negative because I have the strength to do it. But when I really, really feel very bad, what I want to do is make myself feel better, so I'll write something happier.”

John S. Hall (1960) Poet, author, singer, lawyer

Quotes from interviews

“Can you be happy with the movies, and the ads, and the clothes in the stores, and the doctors, and the eyes as you walk down the street all telling you there is something wrong with you? No. You cannot be happy. Because, you poor darling baby, you believe them.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Katherine Dunn 20

Related quotes

Related topics