Gutenberg, Johannes
A German inventor who introduced mechanical movable type printing to Europe, initiating the printing revolution.
Most quoted
"Yes, it is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streams, the most abundant and most marvelous liquor that has ever flowed to relieve the thirst of men! Through it, God will spread His Word. A spring of truth shall flow from it: like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a new light to shine upon mankind."
— from Attributed
"Yes, it is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streams, the most abundant and most marvelous liquor that has ever flowed to relieve the thirst of men! Through it, God will spread His Word. A spring of truth shall flow from it: like a new star it will scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a new light to shine among men."
— from Attributed, likely apocryphal but reflects his motivations, 1450
"God suffers in the multitude of souls whom His word can not reach. Religious truth is imprisoned in a few manuscripts which guard the treasure, instead of diffusing it. Let us break the seal which holds the word of God; let us give wings to truth, that it may speed from soul to soul, from town to town, from kingdom to kingdom."
— from Attributed
All quotes by Gutenberg, Johannes (379)
The truth shall set you free, and I have given you the means to find it.
My invention will make it possible for every man to have a book.
I have made the word of God accessible to all.
This is not just a machine; it is a revolution.
I have given the world a voice.
The spread of knowledge will change the world forever.
This art will bring about a new era of enlightenment.
I have made it possible for ideas to travel faster than ever before.
The printing press is a tool for freedom.
I have democratized knowledge.
This invention will empower the common man.
The word of God will now reach every corner of the earth.
I have given the world a new way to communicate.
This is a testament to human ingenuity.
I have made the impossible possible.
The printed word will be a force for good.
My work is for the benefit of all humanity.
One might say that I have merely found a more efficient way to spread gossip. But oh, what glorious gossip it will be!
They say the pen is mightier than the sword. I say, a thousand pens, all writing the same thing, are mightier still.
My invention will either enlighten the world or drown it in paper. Either way, it won't be boring.