“We are standing on a whale fishing for minnows.”
Episode 2, Chapter 19
The Power of Myth (1988)
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Joseph Campbell140
American mythologist, writer and lecturer 1904–1987Related quotes
“[To Mr. Johnson] If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales.”
Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774) Irish physician and writer
From James Boswell's Life of Johnson (1791), April 27, 1773.
“Freedom for the pike is death for the minnow.”
R. H. Tawney (1880–1962) English philosopher
in Equality (1931)
sometimes cited as an English proverb, sometimes also attributed to Isaiah Berlin
Disputed
“There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.”
Steven Wright (1955) American actor and author
Jacob Rees-Mogg (1969) British politician
In response to a question in the House of Commons about the fishing industry losing money due to Brexit red tape https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-01-14/debates/329F59AC-D8A3-464D-AF4D-58C7EAA560C6/BusinessOfTheHouse#contribution-F5E677D7-58DE-4634-88A4-E97E2AA8F7E6 (14 January 2021) <br class="br">2021
Ingrid Newkirk (1949) British-American activist
Satya, November, 2000 http://www.satyamag.com/novdec00/newkirk.html
“We are like fish
In this vast sea.
And Satan fishes
For you and me.”
Isaac Leib Peretz (1852–1915) Yiddish language author and playwright
"Monish" (translated in J. Leftwich. Golden Peacock. Sci-Art, 1939, p. 56.), 1888.