Robert A. Heinlein: Trending quotes

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Robert A. Heinlein: 1114 quotes68 likes

“We came here for a small, informal meeting. We find you've turned it into a circus. Well, if you're going to have a circus, you've got to have elephants.”

Robert A. Heinlein

“The 3-legged stool of understanding is held up by history, languages, and mathematics. Equipped with those three you can learn anything you want to learn. But if you lack any one of them you are just another ignorant peasant with dung on your boots.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Expanded Universe

Source: "The Happy Days Ahead" in Expanded Universe (1980)
Context: I started clipping and filing by categories on trends as early as 1930 and my "youngest" file was started in 1945.
Span of time is important; the 3-legged stool of understanding is held up by history, languages, and mathematics. Equipped with these three you can learn anything you want to learn. But if you lack any one of them you are just another ignorant peasant with dung on your boots.

“… a book need never die and should not be killed; books were the immortal part of man.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Farnham's Freehold

Source: Farnham's Freehold

“Cast me into a dungeon;, burn me at the state, crown me king of kings, I can 'pursue happiness' as long as my brain lives -- but neither gods nor saints, wise men nor subtle drugs, can insure that I will catch it.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Starship Troopers

Source: Starship Troopers

“In terms of morals there is no such thing as ‘state.’ Just men. Individuals. Each responsible for his own acts.”

Robert A. Heinlein book The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Source: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

“Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and their freedoms”

Robert A. Heinlein book Starship Troopers

Source: Starship Troopers

“Revolution is an art that I pursue rather than a goal I expect to achieve. Nor is this a source of dismay; a lost cause can be as spiritually satisfying as a victory.”

Robert A. Heinlein book The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Source: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

“Have you ever known me to be rude to a lady?" "I have seen you be intentionally rude to a woman. I have never seen you be rude to a lady.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Stranger in a Strange Land

Source: Stranger in a Strange Land

“I usually read the obituaries first as there is always the happy chance that one of them will make my day.”

Robert A. Heinlein book The Cat Who Walks Through Walls

Richard Ames; chapter 3, p. 27
Source: The Cat Who Walks Through Walls (1985)

“Under what circumstances is it moral for a group to do that which is not moral for a member of that group to do alone?”

Robert A. Heinlein

“Correct morality can only be derived from what man is — not from what do-gooders and well-meaning aunt Nellies would like him to be.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers (1959)

“A boy who gets a C- in 'Appreciation of Television' can't be all bad.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Starship Troopers

Source: Starship Troopers

“Certain types of loudmouthism should be a capital offense among decent people.”

Robert A. Heinlein book The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Source: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

“Gratitude is a euphemism for resentment.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Stranger in a Strange Land

Source: Stranger in a Strange Land