Quote by Peggy Noonan
Remember the waterfront shack with the sign FRESH FISH SOLD HERE. Of course it's fresh, we're on the ocean. Of course it's for sale, we're not giving it away. Of course it's here, otherwise the sign would be someplace else. The final sign: FISH.
Summary
This quote playfully emphasizes the use of unnecessary information to state the obvious. It alludes to the idea that sometimes, people tend to state things that are already evident, highlighting how redundant such statements can be. It humorously points out that the sign on the waterfront shack advertising fresh fish for sale is simply stating the obvious facts - it's fresh because it's by the ocean, it's for sale because it's not being given away, and it's there because the sign would be placed elsewhere if it weren't. The final sign reading "FISH" is the ultimate culmination of stating something already clearly evident.
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Authors & Writing
By Peggy Noonan