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Robert A. Heinlein Quotes - Page 6

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Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap

Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap and is never free of cost.

Robert A. Heinlein
Rights, Blood, Liberty
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Starship Troopers”, p.96, Penguin

A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.

Robert A. Heinlein
Sad, Jealousy, Knowledge
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.236, Penguin

Never encourage a man to cook breakfast; it cause him to wonder if women are necessary.

Robert A. Heinlein
Sex, Men, Breakfast

Widows are far better than brides. They don't tell, they won't yell, they don't swell, they rarely smell, and they're grateful as hell.

Robert A. Heinlein
Grateful, Smell, Widows
Robert A. Heinlein (1988). “To Sail Beyond the Sunset”

History does not record anywhere at any time a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it.

Robert A. Heinlein
Strong, Atheist, People
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.224, Penguin

As it says in Bible, God fights on side of heaviest artillery.

Robert A. Heinlein
Fighting, Sides, Artillery
Robert A Heinlein (1966). “Moon Is Harsh Mistres”, Berkley

It may be better to be a live jackal than a dead lion, but it is better still to be a live lion. And usually easier.

Robert A. Heinlein
May, Lions, Easier
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.226, Penguin

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
Groups, Moral, Members
Robert A Heinlein (1966). “Moon Is Harsh Mistres”, Berkley

I do know that the slickest way to lie is to tell the right amount of truth--then shut up.

Robert A. Heinlein
Lying, Way, Shut Up
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Stranger in a Strange Land”, p.355, Penguin

Beware of altruism. It is based on self-deception, the root of all evil.

Robert A. Heinlein
Self, Roots, Evil
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.233, Penguin

A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.

Robert A. Heinlein
Inspirational, Children, Chinese

If you would know a man, observe how he treats a cat.

Robert A. Heinlein
Cat, Men, Treats
"The Door Into Summer" by Robert A. Heinlein, (Ch. 1), 1957.

I would say that my position is not too far from that of Ayn Rand's; that I would like to see government reduced to no more than internal police and courts, external armed forces - with the other matters handled otherwise. I'm sick of the way government sticks its nose in everything, now.

Robert A. Heinlein
Government, Sick, Police
"The Robert Heinlein Interview, and other Heinleiniana". Book by J. Neil Schulman, 1990.

The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.

Robert A. Heinlein
Life, Success, Inspire

More people worry themselves to death than bleed to death.

Robert A. Heinlein
People, Worry
Robert A. Heinlein (2005). “Tunnel in the Sky”, p.60, Simon and Schuster

Money problems can always be solved by a man not frightened by them.

Robert A. Heinlein
Money, Men, Problem
Robert A. Heinlein (2005). “Have Space Suit, Will Travel”, p.5, Simon and Schuster

Every Congressman, every Senator knows precisely what causes inflation... but can't, [won't] support the drastic reforms to stop it [repeal of the Federal Reserve Act] because it could cost him his job.

Robert A. Heinlein
Jobs, Support, Causes

Moving parts in rubbing contact require lubrication to avoid excessive wear. Honorifics and formal politeness provide lubrication where people rub together. Often the very young, the untravelled, the naive, the sophisticated deplore these formalities as 'empty,' 'meaningless,' or 'dishonest,' and scorn to use them. No matter how 'pure' their motives, they thereby throw sand into machinery that does not work too well at best.

Robert A. Heinlein
Moving, People, Together

There comes a time in the life of every human when he or she must decide to risk ‘his life, his fortune and his sacred honor’ on an outcome dubious. Those who fail the challenge are merely overgrown children, can never be anything else.

Robert A. Heinlein
Children, Choices, Challenges
Robert A. Heinlein (2014). “Stranger in a Strange Land”, p.65, Hachette UK

The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.

Robert A. Heinlein
Government, Contracts, Make Sense

Time is your total capital, and the minutes of your life are painfully few.

Robert A. Heinlein
Life, Minutes
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.331, Penguin

Premenstrual Syndrome: Just before their periods women behave the way men do all the time.

Robert A. Heinlein
Time, Men, Way
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls: A Comedy of Manners ch. 15 (1985)

...revolutions are not won by enlisting the masses. Revolution is a science for the few who are competent to practice it. It depends on correct organisation and above all, on communications.

Robert A. Heinlein
Communication, Practice, Revolution

Most people who sneer at technology would starve to death if the engineering infrastructure were removed.

Robert A. Heinlein
Technology, Engineering, People
Robert A. Heinlein (1985). “Job, a Comedy of Justice”, Del Rey

You can go wrong by being too skeptical as readily as by being too trusting.

Robert A. Heinlein
Trust, Skeptical
Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Time Enough for Love”, p.330, Penguin

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