Robert A. Heinlein Quotes

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Secrecy is the keystone to all tyranny. Not force, but secrecy and censorship. When any government or church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you must not know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives. Mighty little force is needed to control a man who has been hoodwinked in this fashion; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, whose mind is free. No, not the rack nor the atomic bomb, not anything. You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him.

Robert A. Heinlein

Fashion, Atheist, Freedom

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You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by logic.

Robert A. Heinlein

Men, Political, Prejudice

Robert A. Heinlein (2014). “Revolt in 2100”, p.53, Hachette UK

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A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

Robert A. Heinlein

Life, Motivational, Atheist

Time Enough for Love "Intermission" (1973)

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[T]here seems to have been an actual decline in rational thinking. The United States had become a place where entertainers and professional athletes were mistaken for people of importance. They were idolized and treated as leaders; their opinions were sought on everything and they took themselves just as seriously-after all, if an athlete is paid a million or more a year, he knows he is important ... so his opinions of foreign affairs and domestic policies must be important, too, even though he proves himself to be ignorant and subliterate every time he opens his mouth.

Robert A. Heinlein

Athlete, Thinking, Media

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I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.

Robert A. Heinlein

Inspirational, Freedom, Responsibility

"The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert A. Heinlein, (Ch. 6), 1966.

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Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.

Robert A. Heinlein

Race, People, Political

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It is a bad sign when the people of a country stop identifying themselves with the country and start identifying with a group. A racial group. Or a religion. Or a language. Anything, as long as it isn't the whole population.

Robert A. Heinlein

Country, Long, People

Robert A. Heinlein (1982). “Friday”

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Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.

Robert A. Heinlein

Stupid, Ignorance, Forever

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Democracy can survive anything except Democrats

Robert A. Heinlein

Democracy, Politics, Democrat

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Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.

Robert A. Heinlein

Stupidity, Underestimate, Attributes

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Patriotism is not 'my country right or wrong'; patriotism means loving the ideals for which America stands and having the courage to speak up when these ideals are distorted for personal or political gain. The American government was instituted to be the servant of the people, not our master.

Robert A. Heinlein

Country, Mean, Government

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At least once every human should have to run for his life, to teach him that milk does not come from supermarkets, that safety does not come from policemen, that 'news' is not something that happens to other people. He might learn how his ancestors lived and that he himself is no different--in the crunch his life depends on his agility, alertness, and personal resourcefulness.

Robert A. Heinlein

Running, Should Have, People

"The Number of the Beast". Book by Robert A. Heinlein, p. 134, 1980.

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I think perhaps of all the things a police state can do to its citizens, distorting history is possibly the most pernicious.

Robert A. Heinlein

Thinking, Police, Citizens

"The Past Through Tomorrow" by Robert A. Heinlein, G. P. Putnam Inc., (p. 401), 1967.

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A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.

Robert A. Heinlein

Loss, Dying, Culture

Robert A. Heinlein (1982). “Friday”

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There are no dangerous weapons; there are only dangerous men.

Robert A. Heinlein

Gun, Men, Dangerous Man

Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Starship Troopers”, p.76, Penguin

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A managed democracy is a wonderful thing... for the managers... and its greatest strength is a 'free press' when 'free' is defined as 'responsible' and the managers define what is 'irresponsible'.

Robert A. Heinlein

Democracy, Wonderful, Responsible

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

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Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.

Robert A. Heinlein

Love, Life, Positive

Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Stranger in a Strange Land”, p.340, Penguin

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No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.

Robert A. Heinlein

Farewell, Childhood, Authority

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Anyone who clings to the historically untrue-and thoroughly immoral-doctrine that, 'violence never settles anything' I would advise to conjure the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The ghost of Hitler could referee, and the jury might well be the Dodo, the Great Auk and the Passenger Pigeon. 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 freedom.

Robert A. Heinlein

Thinking, Issues, Never Settle

Robert A. Heinlein (1987). “Starship Troopers”, p.27, Penguin

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creeds into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics.

Robert A. Heinlein

Law, Political, Mind

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An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.

Robert A. Heinlein

Gun, Society, May

Robert A. Heinlein (1960). “Beyond This Horizon”, Roc

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There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him.

Robert A. Heinlein

Men, Thinking, Political

"The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress". Novel by Robert A. Heinlein, 1966.

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Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

Robert A. Heinlein

Love, Inspirational, Funny

"Time Enough for Love". Book by Robert A. Heinlein, 1973.

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Love your country, but never trust its government.

Robert A. Heinlein

Country, Love You, Government

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The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance.

Robert A. Heinlein

Athlete, People, United States

34 Copy quote

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Born: July 7, 1907
Died: May 8, 1988
Occupation: Science writer
Cite this Page: Citation

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