“I'd sooner exchange ideas with the birds on earth than learn to carry on intergalactic communications with some obscure race of humanoids on a satellite planet from the world of Betelgeuse.”

“Space is a wind that does not blow
On Betelgeuse and time – oh time – is a bird,
Whose wings have never stirred
The golden avenues of leaves
On Betelgeuse.”

“The satellite revolt was not sparked from the West. It was sparked by Communism itself.”

“Our reason tells us that a community based on ideas held in common is a far more advanced manifestation of human life than a community resulting from race or language or geographical location.”

“Environmentalists are much too concerned with planet Earth. Their geocentric attitude prevents them from seeing the greater picture – lots of planets are much worse off than Earth is.”

“There is no art which one government sooner learns of another than that of draining money from the pockets of the people.”

“You are not Atlas carrying the world on your shoulder. It is good to remember that the planet is carrying you.”

“There's nobody in the world I'd sooner oblige than you and this young gentleman here. But the whole thing's nonsense, and conventionality, and popular thick-headedness. There's absolutely nothing to fight about, from beginning to end. And anyhow I'm not going to, so that settles it!”

“‎Sometimes traveling people will be talking together. They will say how good it is in some places and how bad it is in others. And, sooner or later, one of them is bound to mention it. "Talk about really being out in the boondocks!" he will say, "there's a little planet named Earth —"”

“There is in this world no real delight (excepting those of sensuality), but exchange of ideas in conversation.”