Larry Niven: Trending quotes (page 2)

“The wealth of the universe is all over your head. We need to take command of the solar system to gain that wealth, and to escape the sea of paper our government is becoming, and for some decent chance of stopping a Dinosaur Killer asteroid.”

Larry Niven

Space.com interview (2000)

Universe , Wealth

“7) Any damn fool can predict the past.”

Larry Niven

Unsourced variant: Any damned fool can predict the past. And most do.
Niven's Laws

Fools , Past

“11) There is a time and place for tact.
And there are times when tact is entirely misplaced.”

Larry Niven

Niven's Laws

Time

“The bleeding-heart symbol does not represent any known revolutionary organization.”

Larry Niven

Source: A Gift From Earth (1968), Ch. 12 : The Slowboat
Context: The bleeding-heart symbol does not represent any known revolutionary organization. … Yes, the bleeding heart was something else again. A gruesome symbol on a vivarium floor. Fingers that broke without their owner noticing. An ink drawing appearing from nowhere on a dossier cover, like a signature. A signature.

Heart

“There is no cause so right that one cannot find a fool following it.”

Larry Niven

Also in Fallen Angels (Baen Books, 1992) as: "Niven's Law: No cause is so noble that it won't attract fuggheads."
Niven's Laws
Context: 16) There is no cause so right that one cannot find a fool following it.
To prove a point, one may seek out a foolish Socialist, thirteenth century Liberal, Scientologist, High Frontier advocate, Mensa member, science fiction fan, Jim Bakker acolyte, Christian, witch, or fanatical devotee of Special Interest Lib. It doesn't really reflect on the cause itself. Ad hominem argument saves time, but it's still a fallacy.

Fools

“Parlette spoke slowly and evenly. "I am trying to prevent a bloodbath. Is that clear enough for you? I'm trying to prevent a civil war that could kill half the people in this world."”

Larry Niven

Source: A Gift From Earth (1968), Ch. 10 : Parlette's Hand

War , People , World

“As if he'd been afraid for hours.”

Larry Niven

Source: A Gift From Earth (1968), Ch. 11 : Interview with the Head
Context: Someone or something was in this room, something or someone with the power to make people forget. … He was reaching for the stunner on his desk when something caught his eye. It was the dossier for Matthew Keller, senior. A crude drawing defaced its yellow cover.
Two open arcs, joined, in black ink. Three small closed loops beneath.
The bleeding heart. It certainly hadn't been there before.
Jesus Pietro opened the folder. He could smell his own fear, and feel it, in the cool perspiration that soaked his shirt. As if he'd been afraid for hours.

“The Gods do not protect fools. Fools are protected by more capable fools.”

Larry Niven Ringworld series

Source: Ringworld (1970), p. 96

God , Fools

“The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!”

Larry Niven

As quoted by Arthur C. Clarke in "Meeting of the Minds : Buzz Aldrin Visits Arthur C. Clarke" by Andrew Chaikin (27 February 2001) http://web.archive.org/web/20010302082528/http://www.space.com/peopleinterviews/aldrin_clarke_010227.html