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Robert A. Heinlein

Robert A. Heinlein Quotes

Science writer

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Famous Robert A. Heinlein Quotes

“Of all the nonsense that twists the world, the concept of 'altruism' is the worst. People do what they want to, every time. If it pains them to make a choice - if the choice looks like a 'sacrifice' - you can be sure that it is no nobler than the discomfort caused by greediness... the necessity of deciding between two things you want when you can't have both.”

PeopleIfsWorldWantLooksTwoPainChoicesSacrificeWorstConceptsTwo ThingsNonsenseAltruismTwistsDiscomfortGreediness
Book:Stranger in a Strange Land
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“It's a long story. Want a refill?" "No, let's start the steak. Where's the button?" "Right here." "Well, push it." "Me? You offered to cook." "Ben Caxton, I will lie here and starve before I will get up to push a button six inches from your finger" "As you wish." He pressed the button. "But don't forget who cooked dinner.”

WantWellsLongStoriesLyingWishForgetSixFingersDinnerGet UpCooksInchesButtonsSteakLong StoryStranger In A Strange LandRefills
Book:Stranger in a Strange Land
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“It's up to the artist to use language that can be understood, not hide it in some private code. Most of these jokers don't even want to use language you and I know or can learn . . . they would rather sneer at us and be smug, because we 'fail' to see what they are driving at. If indeed they are driving at anything--obscurity is usually the refuge of incompetence.”

IfsKnowsWantUseArtistLanguageFailingUnderstoodDrivingCodeRefugeObscurityIncompetenceSneer
Author:Robert A. Heinlein
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“Any government will work if authority and responsibility are equal and coordinate. This does not insure “good” government, it simply insures that it will work. But such governments are rare — most people want to run things, but want no part of the blame. This used to be called the “backseat driver” syndrome.”

PeopleIfsWantDoeGovernmentRunningPoliticalUsedPoliticsResponsibilityEqualAuthorityBlameUsed To BeDriversSyndromesCoordinatesBackseatAuthority And ResponsibilityBackseat Drivers
Book:Time Enough for Love
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“The most ridiculous concept ever perpetrated by Homo Sapiens is that the Lord God of Creation, Shaper and Ruler of the Universes, wants the saccharine adoration of his creations, that he can be persuaded by their prayers, and becomes petulant if he does not receive this flattery. Yet this ridiculous notion, without one real shred of evidence to bolster it, has gone on to found one of the oldest, largest and least productive industries in history.”

IfsWantDoeRealReligionUniverseFoundReligiousPrayerLordGoneCreationIndustryConceptsEvidenceNotionRidiculousProductiveRulersFlatteryAdorationHomo SapiensLord God
Author:Robert A. Heinlein
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“War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your government's decisions by force. The purpose is never to kill the enemy just to be killing him but to make him do what you want him to do. Not killing... but controlled and purposeful violence.”

WantWarGovernmentPurposeForcePeaceSimpleDecisionEnemySupportViolencePureKillingWhat You WantControlledWant Him
Book:Starship Troopers
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