History Quotes / AchievementsInIgnorance

->At its best, one of the things ''Series/DoctorWho'' has always been extraordinary at is making new mistakes. This is true on a very fundamental creative level, where even from the very beginning of the program you are forced to say things like, "well in their defense, resolving two weeks of sci-fi experimental theater with 'oh, bother, the switch was stuck' is not something I’ve ever seen done before," up through the days of "racism [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS14E6TheTalonsOfWengChiang}} and giant rats]], huh" and "holy fuck [[Creator/ColinBaker that coat]]" and at last to things like "wait, they lied to their brother and [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS33E10JourneyToTheCentreOfTheTARDIS}} told him he was a robot?]]" This is terribly important, because if you don’t make new mistakes you’ll never discover that obvious mistakes like evil robot salt shakers, hiring [[Creator/TomBaker a construction worker]] dressed in a ludicrous scarf as your lead actor, [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol}} a giant fascist Bertie Bassett]], or a searing deconstruction of the normative [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar}} rape/revenge plots]] that dominate sci-fi media in the early 21st century that argues for a focus on women’s narrative and experiences are, in fact, brilliant and important ideas that the world would be a poorer place without.

-->-- '''[[http://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/the-things-that-he-might-remember-the-impossible-astronautday-of-the-moon/ Phil Sandifer]]'''

->''"At its best, one of the things ''Series/DoctorWho'' has always been extraordinary at is making new mistakes. This is true on a very fundamental creative level, where even from the very beginning of the program you are forced to say things like, "well in their defense, resolving two weeks of sci-fi experimental theater with 'oh, bother, the switch was stuck' is not something I’ve ever seen done before," up through the days of "racism [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS14E6TheTalonsOfWengChiang}} and giant rats]], huh" and "holy fuck [[Creator/ColinBaker that coat]]" and at last to things like "wait, they lied to their brother and [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS33E10JourneyToTheCentreOfTheTARDIS}} told him he was a robot?]]" This is terribly important, because if you don’t make new mistakes you’ll never discover that obvious mistakes like evil robot salt shakers, hiring [[Creator/TomBaker a construction worker]] dressed in a ludicrous scarf as your lead actor, [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol}} a giant fascist Bertie Bassett]], or a searing deconstruction of the normative [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar}} rape/revenge plots]] that dominate sci-fi media in the early 21st century that argues for a focus on women’s narrative and experiences are, in fact, brilliant and important ideas that the world would be a poorer place without."''
-->-- '''[[http://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/the-things-that-he-might-remember-the-impossible-astronautday-of-the-moon/ Phil Sandifer]]'''

!!!Fiction

-->--''{{ComicStrip/Dilbert}}''

->Let me guess, you've got a loosely formed idea that shouldn't work on paper but ultimately proves to be reasonably successful?
-->-- '''Burton Guster''', ''Series/{{Psych}}''

->I know this defies the law of gravity, but you see, I never studied law.
-->-- '''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Bugs Bunny]]''', "High-Diving Hare" (but to be perfectly honest, it would have easily fit into the end of any episode)

->I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible!
-->-- '''Daffy Duck''' riding an invisible bicycle in "Porky Pig & Daffy"

->"Who knows? Even I don't know. Is what we see a different universe? The far future or the past? It could even be the bottomless anger that I hold within me. My power has surpassed even my understanding..."
-->--'''Goku Black''' after using an [[LaserBlade energy]] [[SinisterScythe scythe]] to cleave a hole in reality, ''Anime/DragonBallSuper''

->'''Black Belt''': ''You'' try walking in a straight line without bumping into wave functions of neighboring realities!\\
'''Black Mage''': We do it all the time. It's called ''not being so stupid that it warps the universe''!
-->-- ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater''

->'''Helen''': The console was a rusted mail-sorting machine. I told Dave it was a death ray in need of repair. It couldn't possibly have worked.\\
'''Mell''': But Dave got killed by it!\\
'''Helen''': He's got fantastic potential, doesn't he?
-->-- ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}''

->'''Dr. Wily''': Ashura? What the? How did you get here?\\
'''Ashura''': I followed you. I can run really fast, you know.\\
'''Dr. Wily''': You ran after us!?! But this island is floating in the sky above the ocean!\\
'''Ashura''': Really? I didn't notice that.\\
''({{beat}})''\\
'''Ashura''': So anyway...
-->-- ''Webcomic/TwoEvilScientists''

'''Para-Medic:''' What's up?\\

-->--''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid Metal Gear Solid 3]]''

->Only [[BunglingInventor Bloody Stupid Johnson]] could have invented the 13-inch foot and [[AlienGeometries a triangle with three right angles in it]]. Only Bloody Stupid Johnson could have twisted common matter through dimensions it was not supposed to enter. And only Bloody Stupid Johnson could have done all this by accident.
-->-- ''Discworld/{{Thud}}''

->'''Robo:''' This is just... there can't be giant insects. [[SquareCubeLaw They'd crush themselves.]]\\
'''Jenkins:''' But do ''they'' know that?\\
'''Robo:''' Probably not, no.
-->-- ''ComicBook/AtomicRobo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne''

->Esk, of course, had not been trained, and it is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you're attempting can't be done. A person ignorant of the possibility of failure can be a halfbrick in the path of the bicycle of history.
-->-- ''Discworld/EqualRites''

->"Ambassador," Max said, "in the course of my life I have more than once been too ignorant to know that something was impossible before I did it anyway. I see no reason to jeopardize that success."
-->-- ''[[Literature/CodexAlera Princeps' Fury]]''

->'''Kaijin:''' How did you get [[OminousFloatingCastle up here?!]]\\
'''Stronger:''' Hmph! [[CrazyAwesome How should I know!]]
-->-- ''Manga/KamenRiderSPIRITS''

->Mr. Turner’s influence reaches beyond the horror set: Last year the Museum of Arts and Design showed ''Tales From the Quadead Zone'' as part of its VHS retrospective. Jake Yuzna, curator of the show, said Mr. Turner stood apart from other amateur filmmakers because his films "failed in a way that made them more original and fantastic."

->'''Dr. Briefs:''' Goku, what have you done?! You've blasted off into space! You're incredibly lucky I already set the coordinates for Namek, but you... you... where did you get that muffin?\\
'''Goku:''' Muffin Button.\\
'''Dr. Briefs:''' But... I... never installed a Muffin Button.\\
'''Goku:''' (''genuinely confused'') Then where did I get this muffin?
-->-- ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''

->'''Blackwing:''' Hmmm. Ok. Well... [[GoodNewsBadNews the bad news]] is that this is a scroll of Locate creature - which is a completely useless spell in the current situation. [[LampshadeHanging The good news is that]] [[IHaveNoIdeaWhatImDoing I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.]]
-->-- ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', [[note]]In this setting, a scroll used improperly (ie: by someone who has no idea what they're doing) has a chance of causing a violent explosion instead of the intended effect, and blackwing was being swarmed by a horde very weak enemies[[/note]]

->'''Caesar''': That was incredible! How did you do that?
->'''The Courier''': ... I have no idea.
-->-- ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', [[note]]The accomplishment in question is successfully performing ''brain surgery'' without the necessary advanced equipment or medical expertise[[/note]]

->"It is true you are very fierce," conceded his partner, "But my son's fighting beetle is also very fierce. Could his beetle fell a lion?"
->"That depends," said Intra, "How skilled is the beetle in Pankrash Circle Fighting?"
->"Beetles cannot learn Pankrash Circle Fighting, Lord Intra," said Intra’s attendant, and made a bitter motion.
->"Don’t tell the beetle that," said Intra, who was very skilled at smiling. "If you don’t tell him he will learn it anyway and cut the lion in half with a single blow."
--> -- ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'', ''The Song of Maybe''

->'''Carl:''' It appears that, despite all logic, our boarding party has survived.
->'''Vexxarr:''' How they pulled this off, I'll never know.
->'''Carl:''' How about how they managed to find [[PaperThinDisguise a wheelbarrow, light bulbs and a desklamp]] on a crab infested warship.
->'''Vexxarr:''' Not even curious.
->'''Carl:''' But... wait... really?
->'''Vexxarr:''' Sanity means knowing when not to call reality's bluff.
-->-- ''Webcomic/{{Vexxarr}}''

-> I know this defies the law of gravity, but you see, I never studied law.

-> I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible!

-->"Who knows? Even I don't know. Is what we see a different universe? The far future or the past? It could even be the bottomless anger that I hold within me. My power has surpassed even my understanding..."

-> '''Black Belt''': ''You'' try walking in a straight line without bumping into wave functions of neighboring realities!\\

-> '''Helen''': The console was a rusted mail-sorting machine. I told Dave it was a death ray in need of repair. It couldn't possibly have worked.\\

-> '''Dr. Wily''': Ashura? What the? How did you get here?\\

-->-- ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick''

-->-- '''[[http://www.philipsandifer.com/2014/07/the-things-that-he-might-remember.html Phil Sandifer]]'''

-->-- ''{{Narbonic}}''

->''"An expert on bankruptcies; he will therefore bankrupt himself and profit off his own bankruptcy."''
-->--'''''Wiki/RationalWiki''''' on Creator/DonaldTrump

->''"Monday is here again to screw with everybody’s emotions and soul, so here’s the perfect visual metaphor for Monday. Because on Mondays, aren’t we all just [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative a hammer-wielding shirtless crazy dude stuck in a basketball hoop]]? ..Um, were there reports of strong winds in Florida last week? Because I wouldn’t be surprised if this dude was carried West from his homeland of Florida by a strong wind and he eventually landed in a basketball hoop in Seattle. Because this dude is the epitome of Florida. He should be declared Florida’s Ambassador in Washington."''
-->--'''[[http://dlisted.com/2015/05/04/hot-slut-of-the-day-635/ Michael K.]]''', "''Hot Slut of the Day!'' -- The shirtless mess who had to be rescued by the cops after he got stuck in a basketball hoop"

->''“It was like falling down an elevator shaft and landing in a pool full of mermaids.”''
-->--'''Creator/HunterSThompson'''

->''“Don't be obsessed with tactics but with purpose. [[IndyPloy Tactics have a half life.]]”''
-->--'''Noam Chomsky'''

->''"Eli ''(Manning)'' is the Film/ForrestGump of quarterbacks - unbelievably stupid yet inexplicably successful."''
-->--'''''Deadspin''''', [[http://deadspin.com/why-your-team-sucks-2014-new-york-giants-1630014411 "Why Your Team Sucks 2014: New York Giants"]]

-->-- '''{{Garfield}}'''

-->-- '''Burton Guster''', ''{{Psych}}''

-->-- ''AtomicRobo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne''

->'''Goku:''' (''genuinely confused'') Then where did I get this muffin?

->'''Wally:''' Stupidity is like nuclear power: It can be used for good or evil.
->'''Dilbert:''' And you don't want to get any one you.

-> '''Black Belt''': ''You'' try walking in a straight line without bumping into wave functions of neighboring realities!
-> '''Black Mage''': We do it all the time. It's called ''not being so stupid that it warps the universe''!

-> '''Helen''': The console was a rusted mail-sorting machine. I told Dave it was a death ray in need of repair. It couldn't possibly have worked.
-> '''Mell''': But Dave got killed by it!
-> '''Helen''': He's got fantastic potential, doesn't he?

-> '''Dr. Wily''': Ashura? What the? How did you get here?
-> '''Ashura''': I followed you. I can run really fast, you know.
-> '''Dr. Wily''': You ran after us!?! But this island is floating in the sky above the ocean!
-> '''Ashura''': Really? I didn't notice that.
->''({{beat}})''
-> '''Ashura''': So anyway...

->'''Robo:''' This is just... there can't be giant insects. [[SquareCubeLaw They'd crush themselves.]]
->'''Jenkins:''' But do ''they'' know that?
->'''Robo:''' Probably not, no.

->'''Dr. Briefs:''' Goku, what have you done?! You've blasted off into space! You're incredibly lucky I already set the coordinates for Namek, but you... you... where did you get that muffin?
->'''Goku:''' Muffin Button.
->'''Dr. Briefs:''' But... I... never installed a Muffin Button.

-->--[[http://deadspin.com/why-your-team-sucks-2014-new-york-giants-1630014411 "Why Your Team Sucks 2014: New York Giants"]]

->At its best, one of the things ''Series/DoctorWho'' has always been extraordinary at is making new mistakes. This is true on a very fundamental creative level, where even from the very beginning of the program you are forced to say things like, "well in their defense, resolving two weeks of sci-fi experimental theater with 'oh, bother, the switch was stuck' is not something I’ve ever seen done before," up through the days of "racism [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS14E6TheTalonsOfWengChiang}} and giant rats]], huh" and "holy fuck [[Creator/ColinBaker that coat]]" and at last to things like "wait, they lied to their brother and [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS33E10JourneyToTheCentreOfTheTARDIS}} told him he was a robot?]]" This is terribly important, because if you don’t make new mistakes you’ll never discover that obvious mistakes like evil robot salt shakers, hiring [[Creator/TomBaker a construction worker]] dressed in a ludicrous scarf as your lead actor, [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol}} a giant fascist Bertie Bassett]], or a searing deconstruction of the normative [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar}} rape/revenge plots]] that dominate sci-fi media in the early 21st century that argues for a focus on women’s narrative and experiences are, in fact, brilliant and important ideas that the world would be a poorer place without.

->''"At its best, one of the things ''Series/DoctorWho'' has always been extraordinary at is making new mistakes. This is true on a very fundamental creative level, where even from the very beginning of the program you are forced to say things like, 'well in their defense, resolving two weeks of sci-fi experimental theater with ‘oh, bother, the switch was stuck’ is not something I’ve ever seen done before,' up through the days of 'racism [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS14E6TheTalonsOfWengChiang}} and giant rats]], huh' and 'holy fuck [[Creator/ColinBaker that coat]]' and at last to things like 'wait, they lied to their brother and [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS33E10JourneyToTheCentreOfTheTARDIS}} told him he was a robot?]]' This is terribly important, because if you don’t make new mistakes you’ll never discover that obvious mistakes like evil robot salt shakers, hiring [[Creator/TomBaker a construction worker]] dressed in a ludicrous scarf as your lead actor, [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol}} a giant fascist Bertie Bassett]], or a searing deconstruction of the normative [[{{Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar}} rape/revenge plots]] that dominate sci-fi media in the early 21st century that argues for a focus on women’s narrative and experiences are, in fact, brilliant and important ideas that the world would be a poorer place without."''
-->--'''[[http://www.philipsandifer.com/2014/07/the-things-that-he-might-remember.html Phil Sandifer]]'''

-> ''"It's amazing what one can accomplish when one doesn't know what one can't do."''

->''Let me guess, you've got a loosely formed idea that shouldn't work on paper but ultimately proves to be reasonably successful?''
-->--Burton Guster, ''{{Psych}}''

-> ''"I know this defies the law of gravity, but you see, I never studied law."''
-->-- '''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Bugs Bunny]]''', ''High-Diving Hare'' (but to be perfectly honest, it would have easily fit into the end of any episode)

-> ''"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible!"''
-->-- '''Daffy Duck'' riding an invisible bicycle in ''Porky Pig & Daffy''

-->-- '''{{Narbonic}}'''

-> '''Dr. Wily''': "Ashura? What the? How did you get here?"
-> '''Ashura''': "I followed you. I can run really fast, you know."
-> '''Dr. Wily''': "You ran after us!?! But this island is floating in the sky above the ocean!"
-> '''Ashura''': "Really? I didn't notice that."

-> '''Ashura''': "So anyway..."

'''''Para-Medic:''' Did you just hear that?\\
'''Sigint:''' Yeah. There's no way eating a bioluminescent mushroom would cause your batteries to recharge.\\
'''Para-Medic:''' What do you think it means?\\
'''Sigint:''' Beats me...maybe it's all in his mind.\\
'''Para-Medic:''' You mean like a placebo effect?\\
'''Sigint:''' Why not? You've seen how gullible he is.\\
'''Para-Medic:''' I guess there's no harm done. Should we let him keep believing it?\\
'''Sigint:''' Sounds good to me.''\\

->''Only [[BunglingInventor Bloody Stupid Johnson]] could have invented the 13-inch foot and [[AlienGeometries a triangle with three right angles in it]]. Only Bloody Stupid Johnson could have twisted common matter through dimensions it was not supposed to enter. And only Bloody Stupid Johnson could have done all this by accident.''

->''Esk, of course, had not been trained, and it is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you're attempting can't be done. A person ignorant of the possibility of failure can be a halfbrick in the path of the bicycle of history.''

->''Weakness: Doesn't know what the hell he's doing. This is also his Strength.''
-->--''The intro to'' '''LetsPlay/{{Pokecapn}}'''''[='=]s LetsPlay of ''VideoGame/MarioParty,'' on'' '''LetsPlay/KungFuJesus'''

->''"Ambassador," Max said, "in the course of my life I have more than once been too ignorant to know that something was impossible before I did it anyway. I see no reason to jeopardize that success."''
-->--''[[Literature/CodexAlera Princeps' Fury]]''

-->--''Manga/KamenRiderSPIRITS''

->"Mr. Turner’s influence reaches beyond the horror set: Last year the Museum of Arts and Design showed “Tales From the Quadead Zone” as part of its VHS retrospective. Jake Yuzna, curator of the show, said Mr. Turner stood apart from other amateur filmmakers because his films “failed in a way that made them more original and fantastic.”"
-->--''The New York Times:'' [[http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/movies/chester-novell-turner-and-black-devil-doll-are-back.html Chester Novell Turner and 'Black Devil Doll' Are Back.]]