Autobiography is usually honest but it is never truthful. Robert A. Heinlein More Quotes by Robert A. Heinlein More Quotes From Robert A. Heinlein From my point of view, a great deal of openly expressed piety is insufferable conceit. Robert A. Heinlein point-of-viewconceitviews I also think there are prices too high to pay to save the United States. Conscription is one of them. Conscription is slavery, and I don't think that any people or nation has a right to save itself at the price of slavery for anyone, no matter what name it is called. We have had the draft for twenty years now; I think this is shameful. If a country can't save itself through the volunteer service of its own free people, then I say: Let the damned thing go down the drain! Robert A. Heinlein countryyearsthinking 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 governmentmeancountry I don't trust a man who talks about ethics when he is picking my pocket. But if he is acting in his own self-interest and says so, I have usually been able to work out some way to do business with him. Robert A. Heinlein work-outselfmen The early worm deserves the bird. Robert A. Heinlein moralmannersbird Die trying" is the proudest human thing. Robert A. Heinlein dieshumanstrying That old saw about the early bird just proves that the worm should have stayed in bed. Robert A. Heinlein should-havemorningbird Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer, honest figures come out. Never doubted it myself till I met a computer with a sense of humor. Robert A. Heinlein sense-of-humorhonestpeople To be matter-of-fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy - and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful. Robert A. Heinlein realhistoryworld English is capable of defining sentiments that the human nervous system is quite incapable of experiencing. Robert A. Heinlein english-languagenervousdefining One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast. Robert A. Heinlein funny-foodend-of-the-worldbreakfast Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith. Robert A. Heinlein stranger-in-a-strange-landvalentinetime The best things in history are accomplished by people who get tired of being shoved around. Robert A. Heinlein accomplishedtiredpeople Take big bites. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Robert A. Heinlein anything-worth-doingbitesbigs Secrecy begets tyranny. Robert A. Heinlein secrecytyrannypolitical To permit irresponsible authority is to sell disaster. Robert A. Heinlein disasterpermitauthority The most important lesson in the writing trade is that any manuscript is improved if you cut away the fat. Robert A. Heinlein cuttingimportantwriting Never insult anyone by accident. Robert A. Heinlein accidentscomebackinsult If you would know a man, observe how he treats a cat. Robert A. Heinlein treatscatmen I've found out why people laugh. They laugh because it hurts- because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting... I had been told that a 'funny' thing is a thing of goodness. It isn't... The goodness is in the laughing. I grok it is a bravery- and a sharing- against pain and sorrow and defeat. Robert A. Heinlein funny-thingspainhurt