Here's what I think the truth is: We are all addicts of fossil fuels in a state of denial, about to face cold turkey. Kurt Vonnegut More Quotes by Kurt Vonnegut More Quotes From Kurt Vonnegut Be patient, Ophelia. Love, Hamlet Kurt Vonnegut ophelia be-patient patient Ideas on earth were badges of friendship or enimity. Their content did not matter. Friends agreed with friends, in order to express friendliness. Enemies disagreed with enemies, in order to express enimity. Kurt Vonnegut order enemy ideas The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful. Kurt Vonnegut truthful humor way I don't know about you, but I practice a disorganized religion. I belong to an unholy disorder. We call ourselves "Our Lady of Perpetual Astonishment." Kurt Vonnegut astonishment disorder practice And a step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction. Kurt Vonnegut turns responsibility steps One thing I found out was that we need extended families. We need gangs. And, of course, if they're tribes and clans and so forth have been dispersed by the industrial revolution by people looking for work wherever they can find it. And a nuclear family, a man, a woman and kids and a dog and cat is no survival scheme at all. Horribly vulnerable. Kurt Vonnegut cat dog kids Perhaps some people really are born unhappy. I surely hope not. Speaking for my sister and myself: We were born with the capacity and determination to be utterly happy all the time. Perhaps even in this we were freaks. Hi ho. Kurt Vonnegut determination unhappy people Socialism is, in fact, a form of Christianity, people wishing to imitate Christ. Kurt Vonnegut wish facts people Luck is not the hand of God.... Luck is the way the wind swirls and the dust settles eons after God has passed by. Kurt Vonnegut dust wind hands Never have I risked my life, or even my comfort, in the service of mankind. Shame on me. Kurt Vonnegut shame-on-me shame comfort If you want to break the rules of grammar, first learn the rules of grammar. Kurt Vonnegut break want firsts You want to know something? We are still in the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages--they haven't ended yet. Kurt Vonnegut age dark want I have this disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone. Kurt Vonnegut slaughterhouse-five alcohol night My country is in ruins. So I'm a fish in a poisoned fishbowl. I'm mostly just heartsick about this. There should have been hope. This should have been a great country. But we are despised all over the world now. I was hoping to build a country and add to its literature. That's why I served in World War II, and that's why I wrote books. Kurt Vonnegut war country book Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter could be said to remedy anything. Kurt Vonnegut growing-up disappointment happiness Any man who would change the World in a significant way must have showmanship, a genial willingness to shed other people's blood, and a plausible new religion to introduce during the brief period of repentance and horror that usually follows bloodshed. Kurt Vonnegut men blood people The Population Reference Bureau predicts that the world's total population will double to 7,000,000,000 before the year 2000. I suppose they will all want dignity, I said. Kurt Vonnegut slaughterhouse-five population years There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects. What we love in our books are the depths of many marvelous moments seen all at one time. Kurt Vonnegut slaughterhouse-five causes book There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope that they are organized along the lines of the Mafia. Kurt Vonnegut angel memorable writing The practice of art isn't to make a living. It's to make your soul grow. Kurt Vonnegut practice inspirational art
