Despite already serving 22 years on the bench and her critics calling for her retirement, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is still going strong as a Supreme Court justice, luckily for us. Obviously, she’s too busy fighting for equality and inspiring her legions of fans to start collecting her pension. She's so inspiring that, at 82 years old, she's a viral meme: the Notorious RBG herself. And in Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik's new book, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, readers get a chance to follow her trailblazing journey.
As the authors point out, RBG wasn't seeking notoriety (or cyber adoration, for that matter), but her dedication to ending discrimination has earned it for her anyway. In many ways, she’s larger than life, yet she's also very human. It’s a fascinating story, full of valuable life lessons, entertaining anecdotes (like the time Bader cut out of a White House dinner early to stick to her workout schedule), and the hilarious memes that we and the rest of the Internet adore. You may never get to chat with RBG herself, but through the book, you can let her quotes inspire you and guide your way in all of life's events.
Here are 13 Ruth Bader Ginsburg quotes from Notorious RBG that exemplify her amazing philosophies, work, and life. If you don't want to read the entire book after these, then I just don't understand you.
On Obstacles And Accomplishments
“The study of law was unusual for women of my generation. For most girls growing up in the 1940s, the most important was not your B.A., but your M.R.S.”
“Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
“In my life, what I find most satisfying is that I was part of a movement that made life better, not just for women … gender discrimination is bad for everyone.”
On Equality
“The stain of generations of racial oppression is still visible in our society and the determination to hasten its removal remains vital.”
“The distance to equal opportunity for women—in the face of the pervasive social, cultural, and legal roots of sex-based discrimination—remains considerable.”
“We’re still striving for that more perfect union. And one of the perfections is for the ‘we the people’ to include an ever enlarged group.”
On Life In General
“I pray that I may be all that [my mother] would have been had she lived in an age when women could aspire and achieve and daughters are cherished as much as sons.”
“I will continue to give voice to my dissent if, in my judgment, the court veers in the wrong direction when important matters are at stake.”
“As we live, we can learn.”
On Battling Cancer
“I also wanted them to see I was alive and well, contrary to that senator who said I’d be dead within nine months.”
“It is as though a special, zestful spice seasons my work and days. … Each thing I do comes with a heightened appreciation that I am able to do it.”
On Aging
“I’ve learned … to seek ever more the joys of being alive, because who knows how much longer I will be living?”
“When I forget the names of cases that I once could recite at the drop of a hat, I will know [it’s time to retire].”
Oh, RBG. So much wisdom.
Images: Giphy (8)
