A Room By Any Other Name Part II

November 7, 2007 10:18 AM

I need 9 quotes (I need 9 names Part II)

So last week I asked for 9 names because my company was renaming its conference rooms. Needless to say, corporate lameness won out and the theme chosen was "attributes that reflect the company - "Purpose, Curiosity, Resilience, Creativity, Determination, Conviction, Confidence, Integrity, Clockspeed, Accountability, Leadership. I know, totally puke-tastic.

There is a catch though. Each of the nine rooms needs a quote to go with its theme. Example; for the Creativity room, the quote "Imagination is more important than knowledge" by Albert Einstein is going to be used. Supposedly the idea is that the nine conference rooms could actually be renamed after the authors of the quotes. So instead of the "Creativity Conference Room", it would be the "Einstein Conference Room."

Again, internet wit and/or PacNW references get gold stars.

posted by Smarson to society & culture (32 comments total)

This will work for anything but clockspeed:

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another mans freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro the wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating that absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

- Martin Luther King, Letter from a Birmingham Jail
posted by shothotbot at 10:26 AM on November 7, 2007 [3 favorites]

Make sure each room also has the appropriate motivational poster.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 10:29 AM on November 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

Wow, that sucks. A lot of creativity came out of that thread. Instead they went with a crappy motivational poster. Here's my contribution to quotes:

Determination:

From a certain point onwards, there is no turning back. That is the point that must be reached. -Kafka
posted by OpinioNate at 10:34 AM on November 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

shothotbot - Hahahah, nice. I'd love to see the shield size plaque that thing would need.

BozoBuergerBonanaza - I've already sent e-mails suggesting de-motivational posters (specifically the "Leaders" one). Needless to say, I was threatened with more whiteboard pens.
posted by Smarson at 10:35 AM on November 7, 2007

For Curiosity:

I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. -- John Steinbeck

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. -- Ellen Parr

For Leadership:

With great power, comes great responsibility. -- Stan Lee

For Confidence:

“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.” -- Jesse Jackson

“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” -- Peter T Mcintyre

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.” -- ?

“Insist on yourself; never imitate.” -- Emerson

For Purpose:

“To come to be you must have a vision of Being, a Dream, a Purpose, a Principle. You will become what your vision is.” -- Peter Nivio Zarlenga
posted by Sassyfras at 10:35 AM on November 7, 2007

Purpose: "Believe that with your feelings and your work you are taking part in the greatest; the more strongly you cultivate this belief, the more will reality and the world go forth from it." - Rainer Maria Rilke
posted by amro at 10:35 AM on November 7, 2007

Another Rilke on Purpose: "The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things."
posted by amro at 10:36 AM on November 7, 2007

OpinioNate - I know. I felt the weight of AskMefi's dissappointment upon me when they made the announcement. The "Kafka Room." I like it!
posted by Smarson at 10:36 AM on November 7, 2007

Conviction: "Conviction without experience makes for harshness." - Flannery O'Connor
posted by amro at 10:41 AM on November 7, 2007

Amro - Hahaha, I just want a conference room named "Flannery."
posted by Smarson at 10:43 AM on November 7, 2007

"conference room a" was not a suitable option? this is what your company spends it's time and money on? bah.


leadership:

Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. -- George S. Patton

Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too. -- Robert Half

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it. -- Theodore Roosevelt
posted by misanthropicsarah at 10:46 AM on November 7, 2007

Clockspeed:

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. -- Groucho Marx

(This is especially appropriate if you've ever read Charles Fine's book, which is based on research into fruit flies.
posted by cerebus19 at 10:52 AM on November 7, 2007

By room (all quotes by Friedrich Nietzsche)

Purpose:
"What is good? All that heightens the feeling of power in man, the will to power, power itself. What is bad? All that is born of weakness. What is happiness? The feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome. "

Curiosity:
"A thinker sees his own actions as experiments and questions--as attempts to find out something. Success and failure are for him answers above all."

Resilience:
"What does not kill me, makes me stronger." (of course)

Creativity:
"In some remote corner of the universe, poured out and glittering in innumerable solar systems, there once was a star on which clever animals invented knowledge."

Determination:
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. "

Conviction:
“Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.”

Confidence
"Man is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him? All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back to the beasts rather than overcome man? What is the ape to man? A laughingstock or a painful embarrassment. And man shall be just that for the overman: a laughingstock or a painful embarrassment..."

Integrity
"To what extent can truth endure incorporation? That is the question; that is the experiment."

Clockspeed
"Nothing on earth consumes a man more quickly than the passion of resentment. "

Accountability
"What is the seal of liberation? — No longer being ashamed in front of oneself. "

Leadership
"Who can attain to anything great if he does not feel in himself the force and will to inflict great pain? The ability to suffer is a small matter: in that line, weak women and even slaves often attain masterliness. But not to perish from internal distress and doubt when one inflicts great suffering and hears the cry of it — that is great, that belongs to greatness. "

I'd say go with these for every room, and instead of naming the rooms after Freddy, do them by his book titles:

"Hey, can we get 20 minutes of face time in contra in a sec?"

"Hmm, no it's booked. But Antichrist is free for a half-hour at noon...."

posted by illovich at 10:57 AM on November 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

Conviction: "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies." -- Nietzsche

Integrity: "I ran the wrong kind of business (prostitution), but I did it with integrity" -- Sydney Biddle Barrows (the 'mayflower madam')

Accountability: "A few bad apples" -- Donald Rumsfeld
posted by ook at 10:59 AM on November 7, 2007

resilience/determination:

'The mind of man is capable of anything -- because everything is in it, all the past as well as the future' (Joseph Conrad)

purpose:

'The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose' (Richard Leider)
posted by barrakuda at 11:01 AM on November 7, 2007

On post, @ shothotbot:

Your quote is excellent, but I am unclear why it would not be appropriate for clockspeed.
posted by illovich at 11:01 AM on November 7, 2007

Curiosity:

I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore...whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."

-- Isaac Newton
posted by cashman at 11:01 AM on November 7, 2007

oh and confidence:

'Whatever you can do or dream you can do; begin it; boldness has genius, power and magic in it' (Goethe)
posted by barrakuda at 11:05 AM on November 7, 2007

Leadership:

"Take care, don't fight, and remember: if you do not choose to lead, you will forever be led by others. Find what scares you, and do it. And you can make a difference, if you choose to do so." -- J. Michael Straczynski
posted by cerebus19 at 11:07 AM on November 7, 2007

Hmm, seems as though you should pick cool people, and then look for quotes. It would be great to have a Nelson Mandela room, see his quotes, or a Bishop Tutu room.

Mandela quotes below:

Purpose -- There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

Determination or Resilience --

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Conviction or Confidence -- It always seems impossible until it's done.

Integrity -- A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.

Clockspeed -- We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right. (Probably Mandela never uttered the dreadful made-up word "clockspeed.")

Creativity or Leadership -- And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. (My fave.)

Leadership -- It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 11:07 AM on November 7, 2007

My personal favorite leadership quote:
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

One for Conviction:
You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however.
Richard Bach

Other wonderful Antoine de Saint-Exupery quotes that might be of use:

For Creativity:
A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.

Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.
(yeah, probably unusable for your purposes, but still thought I'd share)

For Courage:
Once men are caught up in an event, they cease to be afraid. Only the unknown frightens men.

Others:
A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

To be a man is... to be responsible. It is to feel shame at the sight of what seems to be unmerited misery. It is to take pride in a victory won by one's comrades. It is to feel, when setting one's stone, that one is contributing to the building of the world.
posted by forforf at 11:11 AM on November 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

Other cool people -- FDR and Eleanor.

Confidence (FDR) -- Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.

Creativity (FDR) -- Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

Leadership (FDR) --

To reach a port, we must sail - sail, not tie at anchor - sail, not drift.

I'm not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues.

Determination (FDR) -- It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.

Conviction or Determination or Confidence or something (FDR) --

Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.

Integrity (FDR) -- Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.

Determination (Eleanor) --

As for accomplishments, I just did what I had to do as things came along.

What one has to do usually can be done.

Conviction, or Resilience, or Determination, maybe (Eleanor) --

It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.

My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.

Integrity (Eleanor) -- Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

Accountability (Eleanor) --

Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry is own weight, this is a frightening prospect.

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.

It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself.

One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes... and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.

Integrity (Eleanor) --

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.

Curiosity (Eleanor) -- I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 11:27 AM on November 7, 2007

Accountability: He is the God of man; and his compassion is equal for the red man and the white. This earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. The whites too shall pass; perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Continue to contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.
--Chief Seattle
posted by LionIndex at 12:16 PM on November 7, 2007

Zoidberg quotes?

"I'll just turn the wheel to maximum fastness..." (clockspeed?)
posted by ian1977 at 12:18 PM on November 7, 2007

For Confidence:
“You're so money and you don't even know it!” – Swingers
posted by doorsfan at 12:29 PM on November 7, 2007

what the heck IS clockspeed?
posted by kidsleepy at 12:45 PM on November 7, 2007

Clockspeed:

Theoretically, we are aware that the Earth is spinning, but in reality we do not notice it: the ground we walk on seems to be stationary and gives no cause for alarm. the same happens with Time. To make its passing perceptible, novelist have to turn the hands of the clock at dizzying speed, to make the reader live through ten, twenty, thirty years in two minutes.

Marcel Proust, In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower. I'm pretty sure thats what they meant.
posted by shothotbot at 1:11 PM on November 7, 2007

Accountabilty (or perhaps conviction): "Don't tell me what you believe. I'll observe how you behave and I will make my own determination." -- Alex Trebek

Integrity: "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be." -- Kurt Vonnegut
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:50 PM on November 7, 2007

Integrity:

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made." -- Groucho Marx
posted by cerebus19 at 2:24 PM on November 7, 2007

Clockspeed: "At no time did we exceed 175 miles per hour." - Dan Gurney

Resilience: "It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed." - Theodore Roosevelt

Integrity: "Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike." - Theodore Roosevelt

Conviction: "If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness." - Theodore Roosevelt

You could do worse than just plugging the names of these rooms into this online searchable Bartlett's.
posted by ikkyu2 at 2:40 PM on November 7, 2007

Accountability:

"The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences." -- Winston Churchill
posted by krisjohn at 4:25 PM on November 7, 2007

Oh c'mon, you gotta go Yoda for determination:

"Do, or do not. There is no try."
posted by pupdog at 6:34 PM on November 7, 2007