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Ellen Goodman Quotes

Powerful Ellen Goodman for Daily Growth

About Ellen Goodman

Ellen Goodman, a renowned American journalist and feminist, was born on February 16, 1941, in Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in a family deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition, which significantly influenced her perspective and values. Her father, a doctor, encouraged intellectual curiosity and debate, fostering Ellen's early interest in writing. Goodman attended Radcliffe College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962. She subsequently pursued a Master's degree in English from Harvard University. While studying at Harvard, she worked on The Harvard Crimson as the first female editor of its editorial page. In 1970, Goodman joined The Boston Globe as a reporter, quickly rising through the ranks to become a syndicated columnist. Her columns, marked by wit and empathy, often addressed social justice issues, feminism, and family matters. In 1980, she won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, making her the first woman to receive this prestigious award more than once. Goodman's influence extended beyond journalism. She was a key figure in the Women's Movement, using her platform to advocate for women's rights and gender equality. Her work played a significant role in shaping public discourse on these issues. In 1995, Goodman co-founded The Conversation, a project that aimed to create a national conversation about end-of-life decisions through newspaper columns, town meetings, and a book. In 2007, she left The Boston Globe to focus on teaching journalism at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Throughout her career, Goodman published several books, including "From This Day Forward: A Memoir of Family" (1984) and "Telling a Story Can Change the World" (2011). Her powerful writing and advocacy continue to resonate, inspiring generations of journalists and activists. Ellen Goodman passed away on October 25, 2016, leaving behind an indelible legacy in journalism and social activism.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - all to get to a job you need so you can pay for more clothes and a bigger house."

This quote by Ellen Goodman humorously critiques the societal norm of pursuing a conventional career path focused on material possessions, such as clothing, cars, and homes. It suggests that this traditional notion of "normal" involves spending significant amounts of time and resources acquiring items for status, rather than prioritizing personal fulfillment or experiencing life.

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."

This quote emphasizes personal agency in shaping one's life experiences. It suggests that the quality and direction of our lives are not predetermined but rather influenced by our actions and attitudes. In essence, we have the power to make choices and shape our own destiny, turning challenges into opportunities and finding meaning in our existence. The quote also implies that the nature of life has remained constant throughout history, offering a reassuring message that regardless of circumstances, we can always strive for positive change and growth.

"Why do we dwell in the past, unless it is the present we fear?"

This quote suggests that people often ruminate on the past because they may harbor apprehensions or uncertainties about the present or future. By focusing on what has already happened, individuals may feel a sense of control or comfort, as opposed to confronting the unknown or potential challenges in the current moment. The subtext implies that embracing the present is crucial for personal growth and overcoming fear of change or uncertainty.

"The aging process has you formally dressed and in a hurry."

This quote by Ellen Goodman humorously describes the feeling of growing older, suggesting that despite having more experience and possibly wisdom, one feels increasingly pressed for time due to the various responsibilities and activities accumulated as life progresses. The phrase "formally dressed" might allude to the societal expectations and norms that often become more pronounced with age. In essence, Goodman is commenting on the irony of growing older while feeling like one is running out of time.

"To photograph: it is to pause and arrange time."

Ellen Goodman's quote "To photograph: it is to pause and arrange time" emphasizes the power of photography in capturing moments and freezing them for future reflection. The art of photography allows us to not only witness a scene but also manipulate it, giving control over how a moment in time is presented, and thus, shaping our collective memory and perception of reality. In this way, photography serves as a tool to preserve and redefine the flow of time.

We criticize mothers for closeness. We criticize fathers for distance. How many of us have expected less from our fathers and appreciated what they gave us more? How many of us always let them off the hook?

- Ellen Goodman

Parenting, Always, Fathers, Closeness

When I was at 'Newsweek' magazine - which, you know, this really sounds like I walked four miles in the snow to school - but I started at 'Newsweek' magazine in 1963, which was before the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So it was actually legal to discriminate against women, and 'Newsweek' did.

- Ellen Goodman

Against, Miles, Before, Newsweek

Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for, in order to get to a job that you need so you can pay for the clothes, car and the house that you leave empty all day in order to afford to live in it.

- Ellen Goodman

House, Through, Buy, Paying

Values are not trendy items that are casually traded in.

- Ellen Goodman

Values, Trendy, Casually, Traded

There's a trick to the Graceful Exit. It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, a relationship is over - and to let go. It means leaving what's over without denying its value.

- Ellen Goodman

Go, Over, Means, Graceful

Traditions are the guideposts driven deep in our subconscious minds. The most powerful ones are those we can't even describe, aren't even aware of.

- Ellen Goodman

Deep, Subconscious, Our, Traditions

In journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.

- Ellen Goodman

Always, Been, Getting, Journalism

I think that having a job in journalism, despite all of the changes, is still a fantastic way to be - make a living observing your society and having a chance to use your voice.

- Ellen Goodman

Voice, Think, Still, Journalism

I regard this novel as a work without redeeming social value, unless it can be recycled as a cardboard box.

- Ellen Goodman

Work, Social, Cardboard Box, Redeeming

Call me a cockeyed pessimist, but I'm having trouble finding any good news in the trashing of Harriet Miers.

- Ellen Goodman

News, Good News, Having, Harriet

When we describe what the other person is really like, I suppose we often picture what we want. We look through the prism of our need.

- Ellen Goodman

Through, Other, Like, Prism

Those inevitable dreams where you can't get your column in, you know, and at first they were the Xerox telecopy, and then they were the fax machine, and then they were, you know, email. The anxiety remains the same, but the technology has changed.

- Ellen Goodman

Inevitable, Xerox, Column, Email

You can fire your secretary, divorce your spouse, abandon your children. But they remain your co-authors forever.

- Ellen Goodman

Children, Secretary, Abandon, Divorce

It's self-deceptive to think we're in a post-feminist world when we never tried a feminist world.

- Ellen Goodman

Think, Never, Tried, Feminist

The women's movement was always going to work in two parts. With one part, we'd break open the doors that were closed to women, and with the other part, we'd walk through, transforming society for men and women. Turns out it was a lot easier to open the doors.

- Ellen Goodman

Through, Other, Part, Easier

Most people do not consider dawn to be an attractive experience - unless they are still up.

- Ellen Goodman

Attractive, Most, Still, Consider

We owned what we learned back there; the experience and the growth are grafted into our lives.

- Ellen Goodman

Back, Lives, Learned, Owned

The things we hate about ourselves aren't more real than things we like about ourselves.

- Ellen Goodman

More, Like, Than, Hate

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