More from Jerry Zucker

Love is the only thing that the more you give away, the more you have.

JZ

Jerry Zucker

University of Wisconsin-Madison Commencement 2003, 2003

The Story Behind This Quote

Zucker's fifth and final real rule (after a fake fifth about saying 'May I please have some ketchup' instead of 'Can I get some ketchup') was about love. He criticized how the word had been trivialized — 'I love your shoes,' 'I just love the new Justin Guarini CD,' Hollywood's 'Love ya, babe!' But the real thing, he said, was great. Not easy with actual human beings, but if you worked at it and got it right, it would make you happier than anything else. He asked them to think of the world as a big glass of water with some salt in it: you can try to pick out all the salt, or you can keep pouring in more water until it gets less bitter. Then judge yourself not by your accomplishments, but by the happiness of the people around you.

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