Quotes by Robert A. Heinlein

Oh, you have to charge em, Jubal. The marks wont pay attention if its free.

Belief gets in the way of learning.

Science fiction means different things to different people. When I make a word do a lot of work like that, said Humpty Dumpty, I always pay it extra—in which case the term science fiction has piled up a lot of expensive overtime.

One man’s “magic” is another man’s engineering. “Supernatural” is a null word.

I know where I came from—but where did all you zombies come from?I felt a headache coming on, but a headache powder is one thing I do not take. I did once—and you all went away.So I crawled into bed and whistled out the light.You aren’t really there at all. There isn’t anybody but me—Jane—here alone in the dark.I miss you dreadfully!

If you dont like yourself, you cant like other people. -- Lazarus Long.

Im always suspicious of disinterested interest.

Do you know your Bible?Uh, not very well.It merits study, it contains very practical advice for most emergencies.

In Wilsons scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality.

Then I glanced at the ring on my finger.The Snake That Eats Its Own Tail, Forever and Ever. I know where I came from—but where did all you zombies come from?I felt a headache coming on, but a headache powder is one thing I do not take. I did once—and you all went away.So I crawled into bed and whistled out the light.You aren’t really there at all. There isn’t anybody but me—Jane—here alone in the dark.I miss you dreadfully!

Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.

Nothing could go wrong because nothing had...I meant nothing would. No - Then I quit trying to phrase it, realizing that if time travel ever became widespread, English grammar was going to have to add a whole new set of tenses to describe reflexive situations - conjugations that would make the French literary tenses and the Latin historical tenses look simple.

Oh, Tanstaafl. Means There aint no such thing as a free lunch. And isnt, I added, pointing to a FREE LUNCH sign across room, or these drinks would cost half as much. Was reminding her that anything free costs twice as much in long run or turns out worthless.

Ive never been able to understand faith myself, nor to see how a just God could expect his creatures to pick the one true religion out of an infinitude of false ones - by faith alone. It strikes me as a sloppy way to run an organization, whether universe or a smaller one.

He never once repeated himself and he never used either profanity or obscenity. (I learned later that he saved those for very special occasions, which this wasn’t.) But he described our shortcomings, physical, mental, moral, and genetic, in great and insulting detail.But somehow I was not insulted; I became greatly interested in studying his command of language. I wished that we had had him on our debate team.

Sick cultures show a complex of symptoms such as you have named...but 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.

English is capable of defining sentiments that the human nervous system is quite incapable of experiencing.

…the greatest danger to man in space was man himself.

But how, from the viewpoint of a Martian, did man differ from other animals? Would a race that could levitate and god knows what else be impressed by engineering? If so would the Aswan Dam or a thousand miles of coral reef win first prize? Mans self awareness, sheer conceit. There was no way to prove that sperm whales and sequoias were not philosophers and poets exceeding any human merit?

Thinking doesnt pay. Just makes you discontented with what you see around you.