The Immediacy of Timelessness

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The Immediacy of Timelessness

Andrew Johnson · October 22, 2011 at 1:50am

This semester, construction has taken over much of the University of Minnesota campus. Formerly shrubs are now mounds of dirt and broken-up concrete, the all too familiar but irritating beeping that large trucks make infiltrate a once-enjoyable walk, and, most notably, chain-linked fences have created mini-mazes and reroutes. I'll be the first to admit it can be somewhat inconvenient at times.

With that said though, I came across this sign this morning, making light at how obstructive these fences have become:

Slightly altered from Peter's original line, it's hard to not smirk at reference. In less than 25 years, those words have already found themselves transcending their original usage, seeping into the cultural mainstream, where they're no longer defined by just their iconic moment, but by jokingly comparable moments where the original sentiment is still understood. It speaks volumes to the significance of its historical stage as well as the accessibility and notoriety of the line itself. It's a message that is both simple to grasp, but deep and wide-reaching in its meaning.

So, Ricochet community, what are other famous lines that have come to be so recognizable in such a short amount of time - let's say the last 25 years - that they can be used in a different context? Whether it's used humorously like the sign above or hearkening to the influence of its genesis, I'd be interested to see what quotations we already consider ageless.