Quote Of The Day By David Bowie: 'I Don't Think We've Even Seen The Tip Of The Iceberg ...'

There aren't many artists who are more unique than David Bowie. Born David Robert Jones in 1947, the Starman spent his entire career playing by his own rules. If you listen to his entire discography, you'll hear folk, rock, glam, ambient, pop, electronic music, and other genres that are completely different from each other. Bowie also collaborated with everyone from Queen to Trent Reznor, further emphasizing his willingness to push boundaries and experiment.

Of course, Bowie's famous looks deserve a mention. Never afraid to be flamboyant and over-the-top, each outfit saw him embrace a persona that aligned with his musical versatility. From Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke, he created a wide range of unique characters to inhabit while still remaining true to himself. Bowie was larger-than-life, and he had the hits to back it up.

David Bowie made several songs that are almost perfect, but he was also known for his wisdom and intellect. For proof of that, look no further than our Quote of the Day, which saw our guy make some bold predictions about the internet before the medium truly took over the world.

"I don't think we've even seen the tip of the iceberg. I think the potential of what the internet is going to do to society, both good and bad, is unimaginable."

Our Quote of the Day comes from an interview David Bowie carried out with "BBC Newsnight" (via YouTube) in 1999. During the interview, he dismissed the notion that the internet was just another delivery system for sharing information and claimed that it would eventually take over the world — a bold idea in the '90s. "I think we're actually on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying," he said.

Bowie believed the internet was more akin to an otherworldly life form than a communications system — one that would make other information mediums feel obsolete in comparison. As history has shown, the Starman was right, as the internet is an all-encompassing presence in everyday life.

David Bowie's career was built on innovation. Therefore, it's unsurprising that he embraced technological growth, too. While he acknowledged the internet's "terrifying" capabilities, he foresaw its role in the future of music back in the '90s. His "Telling Lies" single and "Hours" album were released digitally before making their way to disc, proving that Bowie wasn't afraid of the digital age.

Bowie viewed the internet as an outlet for giving fans easier access to music. What's more, he wanted to play a part in building the foundations of making it accessible to consumers, hence why he released music digitally early on. He also live-streamed concerts before it became commonplace, further showing that he understood the internet's potential at a time when it was alien to most people in society.

Fans of Bowie will see our Quote of the Day as an example of the curiosity and open-mindedness that informed his career and worldview. On a broader note, though, it highlights how he was ahead of the curve in predicting the internet's growth and significance. 

• "I'm always amazed that people take what I say seriously. I don't even take what I am seriously."

• "Always remember that the reason that you initially started working was that there was something inside yourself that you felt that, if you could manifest in some way, you would understand more about yourself and how you co-exist with the rest of society."

• "I sincerely don't have time to mess around with the past, because I'm not sure the past exists anymore."

• "I look at the screen, and think: this is a drug. I've gotta be careful with this, because I can get hooked ever so easily."

• "I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human. I felt very puny as a human."