HYPOCRISY
When you’re younger you pick on obvious enemies, I did. You throw stones through the windows of people you really don’t like. And then, as you get on, you start to realize that the enemies that you’ve been fighting against are a lot closer to home, they follow you home, they’re in your bed with you, in your head with you, and they’re hypocrisies of your own heart. April 14, 2005 ー Interview with VH1 Spotlight
Sexism is rampant, conscious and unconscious. I’m still working on my own. January 4, 2018 ー "Why It's Time For Men to Step Up For Women Too" by Bono (Time)
[In] the nineties, I stopped throwing rocks at the obvious symbols of power and the abuse of it. I started throwing rocks at my own hypocrisy. That’s a part of what that work was about: owning up to one’s ego. These characters in the songs like “The Fly” are owning up to one’s hypocrisy in your heart, your duplicitous nature… you start to see the world in a different way, and you’re part of the problem, not just part of the solution! 2005 ー Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas
The hypocrisy of the human heart is a remarkable thing. And the piety of the faithful can be a really annoying thing ー and judgmentalism. It's so, so important... not to be judgmental. June 25, 2013 – Interview with Jim Daly (Focus on the Family)
I don’t like people lecturing to me in bands, I never liked that. It’s like the preachers on television, I feel if they stick their finger out of the screen, they’re pointing at you. I feel, why don’t they point at themselves?... I feel it’s the same in music, I don’t like a singer getting up on stage, going “You, you have a lot to answer for.” I go away “Hey man, you have a lot to answer for.” June 12, 1983 ー Interview with Mike Peters KZEW (Texas, USA)
I don’t feel like I’m a very good ad for God. Like if ever there was a sinner, there is one here with me. February 1987 ー U2 Talkie Interview
I like the feeling of the concert. I like that elation. I think it's good when people walk into a building, and they’re tense with each other, and they’re nervous of each other, and when the concert is over they’re bumping into each other, they have their arms around each other ー there’s a peace has come into that place. And for me, you can tell a tree by its roots. And I go along and see some concerts from other bands, and I see that tension before, and I see that tension after. And I say: “What is your music doing? Where is it bringing people?” And they say: “Well, we’ve got to enlighten people.” And I say: “I want you to leave the room.” Because there’s such a condescending attitude coming down from the stage… where the performers think they have to lead the sheep, which are the audience, into some enlightenment, and I have no time for that. February 1983 ー Interview with Vara Radio (Netherlands)
I think deep down, if we really believe in equality, we would go to the side of our brothers and sisters in Africa. What I would say is we don't really believe in equality. December 1, 2002 ー Interview with Larry King (CNN)
So I decided... instead of running away from the contradictions, I should run into them and wrap my arms around them and give 'em a big kiss. Actually write about hypocrisy... So I... actually turned myself into, literally, 'a preacher stealing hearts in a traveling show.' Rather than write about the character, become the character. Rather than write about some sleazy psycho, become one. I didn't realise these sleazy psychos had so much fun! 1996 ー U2 At The End Of The World ー Bill Flanagan
You’ve gotta be very careful that grace and politeness do not merge into a banality of behavior, where we're just nice, you know. Sort of “death by cupcake,” you know. And politeness is, you know, is a wonderful thing. Manners are, in fact, a really important thing. But remember, Jesus didn't have many manners as we now know… He just spoke directly to the situation. I always think of that dude who came up to Him, you know, saying: [whispering] “Listen, I think you're incredible. You are amazing. You may even be God incarnate, and all of that. But I've just gotta go and bury my father, you know, 'cause I've had a trauma. You understand.” And Christ says, “Let the dead bury the dead.” It's like, He knew. He could see right into that fellow's heart. He knew he wasn't coming and he was just ー it was pretense. And so, we've gotta be a bit more cutting edge. Not look to the obvious signs of righteousness. Jesus was very suspicious of them. And I think, look deeper. Look to the actions. June 25, 2013 – Interview with Jim Daly (Focus on the Family)
When I see myself being described as some sort of high priest or prophet, standing there erect and proud, white flag in my hand… All those images, they’re images of brokenness. Here’s a man in a fist fight with his own audience, supposedly this man of peace. It’s a sick joke, actually. January 1985 ー Bono: In His Own Words ー Dave Thompson (Published 1998)
…the reason I’m attracted to a man like Martin Luther King who as it were could turn the other cheek is because I can’t turn the other cheek. I’m the very person who’ll nut the guy next to me, I’m the very person who in a rage will… do things I don’t want to do. January 1985 ー Bono: In His Own Words ー Dave Thompson (Published 1998)
People think the reason I’m attracted to Martin Luther King or Gandhi or Jesus Christ is that, in some way, I am a real man of God myself. In truth, the real reason I’m attracted to these peaceful men is I’m the guy with the broken bottle. I grew up that way and I despise violence. I despise violence in me, and that is why I’m attracted to men who’ve turned their back on it. March 1987 ー Bono: In His Own Words ー Dave Thompson (Published 1998)
I am the worst… I am at the very bottom of the list of a food chain of… I’m the sort of need to practice a whole lot more Christian. December 1, 2002 ー Interview with Larry King (CNN)
When you sing, you make people vulnerable to change in their lives. You make yourself vulnerable to change in your life. But in the end, you've got to become the change you want to see in the world. I'm actually not a very good example of that ー I'm too selfish, and the right to be ridiculous is something I hold too dear ー but still, I know it's true. February 23, 2002 - "Bono's Mission" by Josh Tyrangiel - Time Magazine
We're living a fairly decadent kind of selfish, art-orientated lifestyle. There's nothing to get in the way of you and your music when you're on the road. Real life doesn't raise its head. 1996 ー U2 At The End Of The World ー Bill Flanagan
Ali never holds me to account for these songs [like New York]. She knows that the weakness of the human heart is one of my favourite subjects. I don't want to leave any stone unturned, including my own. Ali has great grace. It can't be easy being married to an artist who insists on exposing his own hypocrisies. 2009 ー U2 by U2 ー Neil McCormick
I find it amusing actually that people think I’m together. I’m the most untogether person I know. In the band, they just say “here comes chaos.” But oh I want to be together. It’s my ambition to one day get my own life into order and tie it up in string. April 7, 1987 ー The Joshua Tree Interview
I know the problems of the world are the problems of the human spirit. And the problems of the human spirit are the problems of the human heart. And hypocrisy of the human heart is what you’re looking at… because I have it, and we all have it ー we’re afflicted by it… May 16, 2013 – Interview with Charlie Rose (New York, USA)
There are things to rail against, and there are things that deserve your rage, and you must plot and conspire to overthrow them. But the most wily and fearsome of your enemies is going to turn out to be yourself. September 6, 2017 ー "U2 Offers 'Songs of Experience' to a World That's on Fire" by Jon Pareles (The New York Times)
Sexism is rampant, conscious and unconscious. I’m still working on my own. January 4, 2018 ー "Why It's Time For Men to Step Up For Women Too" by Bono (Time)
[In] the nineties, I stopped throwing rocks at the obvious symbols of power and the abuse of it. I started throwing rocks at my own hypocrisy. That’s a part of what that work was about: owning up to one’s ego. These characters in the songs like “The Fly” are owning up to one’s hypocrisy in your heart, your duplicitous nature… you start to see the world in a different way, and you’re part of the problem, not just part of the solution! 2005 ー Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas
The hypocrisy of the human heart is a remarkable thing. And the piety of the faithful can be a really annoying thing ー and judgmentalism. It's so, so important... not to be judgmental. June 25, 2013 – Interview with Jim Daly (Focus on the Family)
I don’t like people lecturing to me in bands, I never liked that. It’s like the preachers on television, I feel if they stick their finger out of the screen, they’re pointing at you. I feel, why don’t they point at themselves?... I feel it’s the same in music, I don’t like a singer getting up on stage, going “You, you have a lot to answer for.” I go away “Hey man, you have a lot to answer for.” June 12, 1983 ー Interview with Mike Peters KZEW (Texas, USA)
I don’t feel like I’m a very good ad for God. Like if ever there was a sinner, there is one here with me. February 1987 ー U2 Talkie Interview
I like the feeling of the concert. I like that elation. I think it's good when people walk into a building, and they’re tense with each other, and they’re nervous of each other, and when the concert is over they’re bumping into each other, they have their arms around each other ー there’s a peace has come into that place. And for me, you can tell a tree by its roots. And I go along and see some concerts from other bands, and I see that tension before, and I see that tension after. And I say: “What is your music doing? Where is it bringing people?” And they say: “Well, we’ve got to enlighten people.” And I say: “I want you to leave the room.” Because there’s such a condescending attitude coming down from the stage… where the performers think they have to lead the sheep, which are the audience, into some enlightenment, and I have no time for that. February 1983 ー Interview with Vara Radio (Netherlands)
I think deep down, if we really believe in equality, we would go to the side of our brothers and sisters in Africa. What I would say is we don't really believe in equality. December 1, 2002 ー Interview with Larry King (CNN)
So I decided... instead of running away from the contradictions, I should run into them and wrap my arms around them and give 'em a big kiss. Actually write about hypocrisy... So I... actually turned myself into, literally, 'a preacher stealing hearts in a traveling show.' Rather than write about the character, become the character. Rather than write about some sleazy psycho, become one. I didn't realise these sleazy psychos had so much fun! 1996 ー U2 At The End Of The World ー Bill Flanagan
You’ve gotta be very careful that grace and politeness do not merge into a banality of behavior, where we're just nice, you know. Sort of “death by cupcake,” you know. And politeness is, you know, is a wonderful thing. Manners are, in fact, a really important thing. But remember, Jesus didn't have many manners as we now know… He just spoke directly to the situation. I always think of that dude who came up to Him, you know, saying: [whispering] “Listen, I think you're incredible. You are amazing. You may even be God incarnate, and all of that. But I've just gotta go and bury my father, you know, 'cause I've had a trauma. You understand.” And Christ says, “Let the dead bury the dead.” It's like, He knew. He could see right into that fellow's heart. He knew he wasn't coming and he was just ー it was pretense. And so, we've gotta be a bit more cutting edge. Not look to the obvious signs of righteousness. Jesus was very suspicious of them. And I think, look deeper. Look to the actions. June 25, 2013 – Interview with Jim Daly (Focus on the Family)
When I see myself being described as some sort of high priest or prophet, standing there erect and proud, white flag in my hand… All those images, they’re images of brokenness. Here’s a man in a fist fight with his own audience, supposedly this man of peace. It’s a sick joke, actually. January 1985 ー Bono: In His Own Words ー Dave Thompson (Published 1998)
…the reason I’m attracted to a man like Martin Luther King who as it were could turn the other cheek is because I can’t turn the other cheek. I’m the very person who’ll nut the guy next to me, I’m the very person who in a rage will… do things I don’t want to do. January 1985 ー Bono: In His Own Words ー Dave Thompson (Published 1998)
People think the reason I’m attracted to Martin Luther King or Gandhi or Jesus Christ is that, in some way, I am a real man of God myself. In truth, the real reason I’m attracted to these peaceful men is I’m the guy with the broken bottle. I grew up that way and I despise violence. I despise violence in me, and that is why I’m attracted to men who’ve turned their back on it. March 1987 ー Bono: In His Own Words ー Dave Thompson (Published 1998)
I am the worst… I am at the very bottom of the list of a food chain of… I’m the sort of need to practice a whole lot more Christian. December 1, 2002 ー Interview with Larry King (CNN)
When you sing, you make people vulnerable to change in their lives. You make yourself vulnerable to change in your life. But in the end, you've got to become the change you want to see in the world. I'm actually not a very good example of that ー I'm too selfish, and the right to be ridiculous is something I hold too dear ー but still, I know it's true. February 23, 2002 - "Bono's Mission" by Josh Tyrangiel - Time Magazine
We're living a fairly decadent kind of selfish, art-orientated lifestyle. There's nothing to get in the way of you and your music when you're on the road. Real life doesn't raise its head. 1996 ー U2 At The End Of The World ー Bill Flanagan
Ali never holds me to account for these songs [like New York]. She knows that the weakness of the human heart is one of my favourite subjects. I don't want to leave any stone unturned, including my own. Ali has great grace. It can't be easy being married to an artist who insists on exposing his own hypocrisies. 2009 ー U2 by U2 ー Neil McCormick
I find it amusing actually that people think I’m together. I’m the most untogether person I know. In the band, they just say “here comes chaos.” But oh I want to be together. It’s my ambition to one day get my own life into order and tie it up in string. April 7, 1987 ー The Joshua Tree Interview
I know the problems of the world are the problems of the human spirit. And the problems of the human spirit are the problems of the human heart. And hypocrisy of the human heart is what you’re looking at… because I have it, and we all have it ー we’re afflicted by it… May 16, 2013 – Interview with Charlie Rose (New York, USA)
There are things to rail against, and there are things that deserve your rage, and you must plot and conspire to overthrow them. But the most wily and fearsome of your enemies is going to turn out to be yourself. September 6, 2017 ー "U2 Offers 'Songs of Experience' to a World That's on Fire" by Jon Pareles (The New York Times)