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Berkeley Breathed Quotes

Powerful Berkeley Breathed for Daily Growth

About Berkeley Breathed

Berkeley Breathed, born on February 6, 1957, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a renowned American cartoonist best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip 'Bloom County.' Growing up in the South during the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War era greatly influenced Breathed's perspective and social commentary that would later be reflected in his work. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1979, Breathe returned to Chattanooga and began creating the daily comic strip 'Opus,' which was eventually incorporated into 'Bloom County.' This comic strip made its debut in newspapers on October 26, 1980. The series gained nationwide popularity for its satirical take on politics, society, and pop culture, earning Breathed a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1987. In addition to 'Bloom County,' Breathed is also known for the comic strip 'Outland' (1985-2012) and his work on 'Peanuts' as the successor of Charles M. Schulz from 1984 to 1987, following Schulz's retirement. Besides comics, Breathed has also ventured into children's literature, writing and illustrating several books. After a 20-year hiatus, 'Bloom County' returned to newspapers in 2015, once again showcasing Breathe's unique style of humor and social commentary that resonates with readers. Berkeley Breathed continues to be celebrated as one of the most influential cartoonists of his generation, blending humor and satire to tackle pressing issues of society while captivating audiences with unforgettable characters.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"And that's the thing about dogs. They've never asked for anything from us but our patience, and in return they've given us--nay, demanded of us--their unquenchable, unquestioning love."

This quote by Berkeley Breathed highlights the unique bond between humans and dogs, emphasizing that they ask for little more than patience from us, in return offering their boundless, unwavering love. It underscores the mutual, selfless nature of this relationship, with dogs providing an emotional support system through their affectionate demeanor.

"Never underestimate the power of technology, especially when it can be used by the other guy."

This quote highlights the potential danger that arises when advanced technology falls into the wrong hands. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting technology's capabilities, as they can significantly impact outcomes, particularly when wielded by those who may use it for malicious purposes.

"The great tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside while we live."

This quote by Berkeley Breathed suggests that the true regret in life isn't physical death, but the squandering or neglect of personal growth, passion, dreams, and relationships during one's lifetime - the things that make us alive and fulfilled as individuals. It encourages each of us to strive for personal development and to cherish our connections with others while we have the opportunity.

"Possibilities are usually lurking just around the corner. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning."

This quote highlights the idea that the realm of possibilities is ever-present in our lives, often waiting to be discovered just beyond our current perspectives. The act of dreaming, or envisioning potential futures, serves as an essential tool for strategizing and shaping our actions towards achieving those possibilities. In essence, Berkeley Breathed suggests that daydreaming is a proactive step in the process of planning for and bringing about positive change.

"Life is too short to be small...be as big as you dare."

This quote by Berkeley Breathed encourages individuals to seize opportunities, take risks, and strive for greatness in their lives. It's a call to action to live boldly, dream big, and not allow fear or hesitation to limit personal growth and potential. In essence, it's about embracing one's fullest self and living life with purpose and passion.

I'll confess right here that I secretly wish I'd have drawn a strip about a little boy with a fake tiger, going for adventures throughout the universe in spaceships of his imagination.

- Berkeley Breathed

Here, Going, About, Fake

I grew up in Los Angeles and always wished I'd spent a childhood in a far different place.

- Berkeley Breathed

Childhood, Always, Angeles, Different Place

I can say that even in the midst of my most cynical comic stripping: Opus shone through with a bit of heart, anchoring the ugly proceedings with a comforting pull of emotion.

- Berkeley Breathed

Ugly, Comforting, Through, Cynical

I will go to my grave in a state of abject endless fascination that we all have the capacity to become emotionally involved with a personality that doesn't exist.

- Berkeley Breathed

Will, Go, Grave, Abject

I drew the last image ever of Opus at midnight while Puccini was playing and I got rather stupid. Thirty years. A bit like saying goodbye to a child - which is ironic because I was never, never sentimental about him as many of his fans were.

- Berkeley Breathed

Stupid, Ironic, Rather, Sentimental

Negative humor is forgotten immediately. It's the stuff that makes us feel better about our lives that lives long. Much more satisfying. Enter children's books.

- Berkeley Breathed

More, Makes, Lives, Satisfying

That's the conundrum of cartoon stripping, as opposed to political cartoons. When your anger is the driving force of your drawing hand, failure follows. The anger is OK, but it has to serve the interests of the heart, frankly.

- Berkeley Breathed

Cartoon, Follows, Opposed, OK

'Harry Potter' shouldn't be children's first experience with suspense and plot turns.

- Berkeley Breathed

Children, Plot, Harry, Potter

Such is the nature of comic strips. Once established, their half-life is usually more than nuclear waste. Typically, the end result is lazy, rich cartoonists.

- Berkeley Breathed

Nature, Waste, Established, Comic Strips

Bloom County was set in a tidy, rural environment probably because of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'

- Berkeley Breathed

Environment, Bloom, Set, Tidy

Some of us find our lives abridged even before the paperback comes out.

- Berkeley Breathed

Some, Lives, Even, Paperback

Cartooning is about deconstruction: you gotta tear something down to make a joke.

- Berkeley Breathed

Gotta, About, Tear, Cartooning

I could draw Bloom County with my nose and pay my cleaning lady to write it, and I'd bet I wouldn't lose 10% of my papers over the next twenty years. Such is the nature of comic-strips. Once established, their half-life is usually more than nuclear waste.

- Berkeley Breathed

Next, County, Papers, Twenty

And that's why any of my picture books exist: They all seem to be built backwards from a simple, emotionally optimistic story beat.

- Berkeley Breathed

Simple, Why, Built, Picture Books

I knew 'Mars Needs Moms! ' would be a movie seconds after the title came to mind. Similarly, I also knew that my daughter would be calling me a dork as a default term of endearment eventually.

- Berkeley Breathed

Mind, Movie, Needs, Dork

It was a huge challenge to learn digital painting well enough so that computers don't pop into mind when one sees one.

- Berkeley Breathed

Mind, Learn, Digital, Well Enough

Doonesbury had the requisite and overwhelming influence in 1980, as it did on any college cartoonist who was paying attention, of course.

- Berkeley Breathed

College, Had, Requisite, Overwhelming

I paint digitally now. A pity, in some ways, as the biggest price one pays is that you no longer have a finished piece of physical art to hang on a wall. I miss that terribly.

- Berkeley Breathed

Art, Some, Hang, Pays

I happen to think nearly everybody - especially those one might find in the odd issue of 'People' magazine, including me - is frightfully boring, Especially me. And Tom Cruise. Tom and I are alike in only this way.

- Berkeley Breathed

Everybody, Nearly, Tom, Odd

If I could have drawn a cat yelling for lasagna every day for 15 years and have them pay me $30 million to do so, I would have.

- Berkeley Breathed

Every Day, Could, Yelling, If I Could

Keep in mind that in 1985, I had a potential readership of over 50 million Americans. At that time, a good portion of those were under 30.

- Berkeley Breathed

Mind, Over, Portion, Readership

The comic page is dying; I didn't want to go with it.

- Berkeley Breathed

Dying, Want, Go, Comic

Despite what they tell you, there are simply no moral absolutes in a complex world.

- Berkeley Breathed

World, Tell, Complex, Absolutes

My post-child period resulted in one instant change: I write shorter books for kids.

- Berkeley Breathed

I Write, Resulted, Period, Instant

I started as a news photographer at the University Of Texas' Daily Texan.

- Berkeley Breathed

Daily, News, University, Texan

I ignore Hallmark Holidays. And this comes from a guy who has sold a million Opus greeting cards.

- Berkeley Breathed

Cards, Hallmark, Sold, Greeting

It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

- Berkeley Breathed

Never, Too Late, Late

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