I still do not understand how a corporation can have person-hood if it has no soul and never dies.
We declared war on terror-it's not even a noun, so, good luck.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote humorously critiques the abstract nature of 'terror' as a concept, suggesting the difficulty in combating an intangible enemy.
Jon Stewart's quote points out the irony and challenge of declaring a war on a concept like 'terror', which is not a tangible entity that can be fought in a conventional manner. By highlighting that 'terror' isn't even a noun, he emphasizes the absurdity of labeling such an abstract threat as an enemy, suggesting that this war might be inherently unfightable and that our efforts against it could be both misguided and futile.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a debate about the effectiveness of military strategies against intangible threats.
More from Jon Stewart
All quotes →President Bush announced his new economic plan. The centerpiece was a proposed repeal of the dividend tax on stocks, a boon that could be worth millions of dollars to average Americans. Well, average stock-owning Americans. Technically, Americans who own a significant amount of shares in dividend-dealing companies. Well, rich people, that's what I'm trying to say. They're going to do really well with this.
Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I figured this out. I know what's wrong with what we've done in Iraq. We've been following time as it goes forward. What a classic mistake. Linear time is so pre-9-11.
You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back on my career and be proud of the work, and be proud that I tried everything. Yes, I want to look back and know that I was terrible at a variety of things.
If you don't stick to your values when they're being tested, they're not values: they're hobbies.
Thomas Jefferson once said: 'Of course the people don't want war. But the people can be brought to the bidding of their leader. All you have to do is tell them they're being attacked and denounce the pacifists for somehow a lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.' I think that was Jefferson. Oh wait. That was Hermann Goering. Shoot." [Hosting the Peabody Awards for broadcasting excellence at the New York Waldorf-Astoria, June 6, 2006]
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