Major Quotations From Jimi Hendrix

Although I see myself as a member of Gereration X, and I'm supposed to be imbued with a spirit of ruthless judgmentalism against the Hippie Generation, there is one (actually, quite a few) members of the Hippie Generation whose wisdom I do not dismiss lightly. The foremost among these is the great guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

Some of my favo(u)rite quotes of Jimi's involve my personal favo(u)rite rhetorical mode, which I call "Sillygisms", which are sayings that sound very profound and erudite, until you realize that they're completely illogical. Here are a couple of Jimi's:

I'm gonna put a curse on you and all your kids will be born completely naked.
Jimi Hendrix

It's funny the way most people love the dead. Once you are dead, you are made for life.
Jimi Hendrix

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Then again, I also love his quotes concerning self-expression:

You don't have to be singing about love all the time in order to give love to the people. You don't have to keep flashing those words all the time.
Jimi Hendrix

White collar conservative flashin down the street, pointing that plastic finger at me, they all assume my kind will drop and die, but I'm gonna wave my freak flag high.
Jimi Hendrix

When things get too heavy, just call me helium, the lightest known gas to man.
Jimi Hendrix

(Actually, hydrogen is the lightest gas know to man, but its extreme electronegativity makes it very reactive (i.e., elemental atomic hydrogen really, REALLY wants to become part of a more massive chemical compound (hey, excuse my nerdiness, but I did get a score greater than 100% on my Physical Chemistry exam, so I am what I am my exam what I am!)), so it doesn't last very long outside the laboratory. Basic helium, on the other hand, is an inert gas (i.e., all electron holes are filled, so it can't react with anything else to form molecules), so it lasts a lot longer, and is much less dangerous to handle).

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Then again, before you can express yourself, you must know yourself and the world which provides the context for your perception of reality, and Jimi has quotes relating to this fact as well:

In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first.
Jimi Hendrix

I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see.
Jimi Hendrix

Even Castles made of sand, fall into the sea, eventually.
Jimi Hendrix

I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.
Jimi Hendrix

I'm the one that has to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life, the way I want to.
Jimi Hendrix

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Finally, there are his totally profound quotes, such as:

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix

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And, finally, my absolute favo(u)rite quote of his:

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.
Jimi Hendrix

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Thanks for reading. And, in gratitude to Jimi for his wisdom, don't light a candle for him, but repay him in the manner he would have wished, by paying your gratitude forward in the form of peaceful, life-affirming action to others on behalf of humanity!

I believe the such to be especially important during this Christmas season. (But why can't Christmas be all year 'round? Isn't that what Jesus commands?)

Cheers, and happy holidays!