I never work just to work. It's some combination of laziness and self-respect.
My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the value of individuality and challenging societal norms.
In this quote, Harold Ramis highlights that his characters embody a spirit of rebellion and nonconformity. Rather than being seen as failures or 'losers,' these characters are portrayed as winners because they choose to live life on their own terms, defying conventional expectations and rules. This speaks to the importance of self-expression and the strength found in being true to oneself, illustrating that success can come from embracing one's uniqueness rather than conforming to societal pressures.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creativity, one might include this quote to encourage artists to break the mold.
More from Harold Ramis
All quotes βMy only conclusion about structure is that nothing works if you don't have interesting characters and a good story to tell.
A psychologist said to me, there are only two important questions you have to ask yourself. What do you really feel? And, what do you really want? If you can answer those two, you probably can leave your neuroses behind you.
It seems that, culturally, young people function more in groups. They know each other through digital media. All the young comedy people who work in TV are really used to working at the table with lots of writers around. They're comfortable in the group; they don't assert their own egos over everyone else.
Find the most talented person in the room and if it's not you, go stand next to him. Hang out with him. try to be helpful.
Similar quotes
God show me the way because the Devil trying to break me down
No human being is illegal. That is a contradiction in terms. Human beings can be beautiful or more beautiful, they can be fat or skinny, they can be right or wrong, but illegal? How can a human being be illegal?
I'm really intrigued by those eternal questions of creation and belief and faith. I don't care who you are, it's what we all think about. It's in the back of all our minds.
But there comes a moment in everybody's life when he must decide whether he'll live among the human beings or not - a fool among fools or a fool alone.
God only rarely reveals the future. When he does so, it is for one reason: it's a future that was written so as to be altered.
By reshaping or decorating our outer selves, we express our inner sense of self: 'I like that' becomes 'I'm like that.'