Frank Herbert Quotes

Quotes about:

• I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

  Frank Herbert

  Inspirational, Motivational, Death

  Frank Herbert (2010). “Heretics Of Dune: The Fifth Dune Novel”, p.10, Hachette UK

  83 Copy quote

• All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities.

  Frank Herbert

  War, Government, Personality

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, p.60, Penguin

  49 Copy quote

• Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.

  Frank Herbert

  Inspirational, Funny, Life

  "Fictional character: Duke Leto Atreides". "Dune", www.imdb.com. 1984.

  59 Copy quote

• The best contribution one can make to humanity is to improve oneself.

  Frank Herbert

  Humanity, Contribution, Oneself

  22 Copy quote

• Small souls who seek power over others first destroy the faith those others might have in themselves.

  Frank Herbert

  Soul, Might, Firsts

  Frank Herbert (2010). “God Emperor Of Dune: The Fourth Dune Novel”, p.218, Hachette UK

  5 Copy quote

• The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.

  Frank Herbert

  Love, Inspirational, Life

  Frank Herbert (2003). “Dune”, p.35, Penguin

  88 Copy quote

• The mistakes (of leaders) are amplified by the numbers who follow them without question. Charismatic leaders tend to build up followings, power structures and these power structures tend to be taken over by people who are corruptible. I don't think that the old saw about 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely' is accurate: I think power attracts the corruptible.

  Frank Herbert

  Mistake, Taken, Thinking

  1 Copy quote

• When a wise man does not understand, he says: "I do not understand." The fool and the uncultured are ashamed of their ignorance. They remain silent when a question could bring them wisdom.

  Frank Herbert

  Wise, Ignorance, Men

  "The Godmakers". Book by Frank Herbert, 1972.

  13 Copy quote

• Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.

  Frank Herbert

  Life, Real, Princess

  Frank Herbert (2003). “Dune”, p.323, Penguin

  14 Copy quote

• It is so shocking to find out how many people do not believe that they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult.

  Frank Herbert

  Believe, People, Difficult

  15 Copy quote

• Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.

  Frank Herbert

  Men, Thinking, Machines

  Frank Herbert (2003). “Dune”, p.18, Penguin

  10 Copy quote

• The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.

  Frank Herbert

  Knowledge, Caring, Discovery

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.150, Penguin

  15 Copy quote

• The undeserving maintain power by promoting hysteria.

  Frank Herbert

  Hysteria, Undeserving, Promoting

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.306, Penguin

  11 Copy quote

• Most lives are a flight from selfhood. Most prefer the truths of the stable. You stick your head into the stanchions and munch contentedly until you die. Others use you for their purposes. Not once do you look outside the stable to lift your head and be your own creature.

  Frank Herbert

  Self, Use, Sticks

  7 Copy quote

• Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class -- whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy.

  Frank Herbert

  Government, Class, Aristocracy

  Frank Herbert (2008). “Children of Dune”, p.198, Penguin

  40 Copy quote

• Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines. Improvements always make those at the top of the heap look inept. Who enjoys appearing inept?

  Frank Herbert

  Hate, Thought Provoking, Innovation

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Heretics of Dune”, p.201, Penguin

  6 Copy quote

• Power attracts the corruptible. Suspect any who seek it.

  Frank Herbert

  Power, Corruption, Power And Corruption

  9 Copy quote

• There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.

  Frank Herbert

  Real, Writing, Stories

  Interview with Willis McNelly, www.sinanvural.com. February 3, 1969.

  38 Copy quote

• It is impossible to live in the past, difficult to live in the present and a waste to live in the future.

  Frank Herbert

  Happiness, Past, Waste

  8 Copy quote

• Nature does not make mistakes. Right and wrong are human categories.

  Frank Herbert

  Inspirational, Life, Nature

  4 Copy quote

• It is a wise man that does know the contented man is never poor, whilst the discontented man is never rich.

  Frank Herbert

  Wise, Men, Doe

  6 Copy quote

• Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.

  Frank Herbert

  Freedom, Discipline, History

  Frank Herbert (1985). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, Putnam Publishing Group

  28 Copy quote

• Do actions agree with words? There's your measure of reliability. Never confine yourself to the words.

  Frank Herbert

  Reliability, Action, Agree

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, p.110, Penguin

  38 Copy quote

• A person needs new experiences. They jar something deep inside, allowing you to grow. Without them, it sleeps- seldom to awaken. The sleeper must awaken.

  Frank Herbert

  Sleep, New Experiences, Needs

  10 Copy quote

• Face your fears or they will climb over your back.

  Frank Herbert

  Faces, Face Your Fears, Climbs

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, p.151, Penguin

  9 Copy quote

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