Cullen Hightower (b.1923) was a well known quotation and quip writer from the United States. He is often associated with the American conservative political movement. Hightower served in the U.S. army during World War II before beginning a career in sales. He began to publish his writing upon retirement. A collection of his quotations was published as Cullen Hightower’s Wit Kit. One of Hightower’s most notable quotations is “People seldom become famous for what they say until after they are famous for what they’ve done.” Ironically, Hightower became famous for what he said rather than for what he did. A number of other quotes are in his obituary.
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Talk is cheap, except when Congress does it.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Speakers, Government, Speaking
Older generations are living proof that younger generations can survive their lunacy.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Generations
Saying what we think gives a wider range of conversation than saying what we know.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Conversation
If we fixed a hangnail the way our government fixes the economy, we’d slam a car door on it.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Government
Money can be fickle, having a lasting relationship with a few and a brief fling with others, while just flirting with the rest of us.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Money
Strangers are what friends are made of.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Friendship
Wisdom is what’s left after we’ve run out of personal opinions.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Wisdom
When performance exceeds ambition, the overlap is called success.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Ambition
Failure can be bought on easy terms; success must be paid for in advance.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Success
Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else’s can shorten it.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Mistakes
In our nation there are two classes of nobility: the law-abiding workers and the law-abiding employers who sustain each other.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Work
Worry compounds the futility of being trapped on a dead-end street. Thinking opens new avenues.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Managing Worries, Worry
Every U.S. citizen owes allegiance to our nation. Some Americans consider that anything less than high treason is allegiance.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: America
The true measure of your worth includes all the benefits others have gained from your success.
—Cullen Hightower
Those who agree with us may not be right, but we admire their astuteness.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Agreement
The mistakes made by Congress wouldn’t be so bad if the next Congress didn’t keep trying to correct them
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Government
One difference between savagery and civilization is a little courtesy. There’s no telling what a lot of courtesy would do.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Kindness
Love is what’s left of a relationship after all the selfishness has been removed.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Love
The only way some of us exercise our minds is by jumping to conclusions.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Mind
The human body was designed to walk, run or stop; it wasn’t built for coasting.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Body, Health
Faith is building on what you know is here, so you can reach what you know is there.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Belief, Faith
A mind becomes a detriment when it acquires more intelligence than its integrity can handle.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Mind
Our laws can be friendly to those who obey them, and too often useful to those who don’t.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Laws
We experience moments absolutely free from worry. These brief respites are called panic.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Worry
Our ego is our silent partner-too often with a controlling interest.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Ego
Getting even with somebody is no way to get ahead of anybody.
—Cullen Hightower
Topics: Anger, Vengeance
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