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Orson Scott Card Quotes - Page 6

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There is no society that does not highly value fictional storytelling. Ever.

There is no society that does not highly value fictional storytelling. Ever.

Orson Scott Card
Writing, Doe, Storytelling

No human being, when you understand his desires, is worthless. No one's life is nothing. Even the most evil of men and women, if you understand their hearts, had some generous act that redeems them, at least a little, from their sins.

Orson Scott Card
Life Lesson, Heart, Men
Orson Scott Card (2009). “Speaker for the Dead”, p.97, Macmillan

I buy way too many books.

Orson Scott Card
Book, Writing, Way

Make friends. Be a leader. Kiss butts if you have to, but if the other guys despise you-you know what I mean?

Orson Scott Card
Mean, Kissing, Guy
Orson Scott Card (2010). “Ender's Game”, p.43, Macmillan

The Buggers have finally, finally learned that we humans value each and every individual human life. But they've learned this lesson just in time for it to be hopelessly wrong — for we humans do, when the cause is sufficient, spend our own lives. We throw ourselves onto the grenade to save our buddies in the foxhole. We rise out of the trenches and charge the entrenched enemy and die like maggots under a blowtorch. We strap bombs on our bodies and blow ourselves up in the midst of our enemies. We are, when the cause is sufficient, insane.

Orson Scott Card
Blow, Enemy, Insane
"Ender's Shadow". Book by Orson Scott Card, 1999.

Ethan Wyeth: I hope you're thirsty." Gideon Wyeth:"Why?" Ethan: "Cause your dumb and ugly, but I can do something about thirsty.

Orson Scott Card
Dumb, Gideon, Ugly

But in the meantime I became accustomed to the writing life and it would be hard to change now - partly because of the salary cut if I went to my other love, teaching; and partly because I still have stories to tell, even though it isn't all that fun doing the work anymore.

Orson Scott Card
Fun, Teaching, Writing

None of us could be happy for long, doing nothing.

Orson Scott Card
Long, Doing Nothing
Orson Scott Card (2010). “Ender's Game”, p.153, Macmillan

But when it comes to human beings, the only type of cause that matters is final cause, the purpose. What a person had in mind. Once you understand what people really want, you can't hate them anymore. You can fear them, but you can't hate them, because you can always find the same desires in your own heart.

Orson Scott Card
Hate, Heart, People
Orson Scott Card (2009). “Speaker for the Dead”, p.271, Macmillan

What you are is a man who means to be good, and undo the bad he's done, and that's as good as any man ever gets.

Orson Scott Card
Mean, Men, Done
Orson Scott Card (1996). “Alvin Journeyman: The Tales of Alvin Maker”, p.219, Macmillan

There is more good writing and good acting in any ten minutes of Twister than in, say, all of Citizen Kane.

Orson Scott Card
Writing, House, Acting

God, our genes, our environment, or some stupid programmer keying in code at an ancient terminal - there's no way free will can ever exist if we as individuals are the result of some external cause.

Orson Scott Card
Stupid, Way, Causes
Orson Scott Card (2009). “Xenocide: Volume Three of the Ender Quintet”, p.255, Macmillan

You want to beat Peter?" she asked "No," he answered "Beat the buggers. Then come home and see who notices Peter Wiggen anymore. Look him in the eye when all the world loves and reveres you. That'll be defeat in his eyes, Ender, thats how you win" "You don't understand" he said "Yes i do" "No you don't. I don't want to beat Peter" "Then what do you want?" "I want him to love me

Orson Scott Card
Eye, Home, Winning

There's only one thing that will make them stop hating you. And that's being so good at what you do that they can't ignore you

Orson Scott Card
Hate, Enders Game, Stop Hating
Orson Scott Card (2010). “Ender's Game”, p.38, Macmillan

The Maker is the one who is part of what he makes.

Orson Scott Card
Makers
Orson Scott Card (2004). “The Crystal City: The Tales of Alvin Maker”, p.313, Macmillan

Being young is an 18 year prison sentence for a crime your parents committed. But you do get time off for good behavior.

Orson Scott Card
Years, Parent, Prison

Remember, the enemy's gate is down.

Orson Scott Card
Enemy, Remember, Enders Game
Orson Scott Card (2013). “The Ender Quintet”, p.216, Macmillan

If a pig goes upon the threshing-floor, or a field, or a garden, and the owner of the meadow, or the field, or the garden smites it so that it die, he shall give it back to its owner; but if he does not give it back, he becomes a thief.

Orson Scott Card
Garden, Pigs, Giving

This is how humans are: We question all our beliefs, except for the ones that we really believe in, and those we never think to question.

Orson Scott Card
Life, Believe, Thinking
Orson Scott Card (2013). “The Ender Quintet”, p.416, Macmillan

Anything can become a children's book if you give it to a child...Children are actually the best (and worst) audience for literature because they have no patience with pretence.

Orson Scott Card
Children, Book, Giving

I realized that everything important in sci-fi showed up in the magazines first. It's the proving ground for new writers and new ideas.

Orson Scott Card
Ideas, Important, Magazines

If anyone have intercourse with a pig or a dog, he shall die. If a man have intercourse with a horse or a mule, there is no punishment. But he shall not approach the king, and shall not become a priest... If a pig spring upon a man for intercourse, there is no punishment.

Orson Scott Card
Dog, Horse, Kings

Perhaps I'm hiding from myself. Perhaps I don't want to be what I'm supposed to be. Or perhaps I don't want to keep living the life I already started to live.

Orson Scott Card
Live Life, Want, Hiding
Orson Scott Card (1996). “Alvin Journeyman: The Tales of Alvin Maker”, p.39, Macmillan

But whether there's some grand design really matters little to me. My only hope was this: to see what might be, to believe that it should be, and then to do all I could to bring it to pass, whatever the cost.

Orson Scott Card
Believe, Design, Cost
"Treason". Book by Orson Scott Card, November 30, 2009.

I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears, and I tell you he's the one.

Orson Scott Card
Eye, Ears, Enders Game
Orson Scott Card (2013). “Ender's Game Boxed Set I: Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon”, p.20, Macmillan

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