I don’t think it’s quite that simple. Some people never observe anything, Life just happens to them. They get by on little more than a kind of dumb persistence, and they resist with anger and resentment anything that might lift them out of that false serenity.

Frank Herbert

Categorized in : Thinking Simple Persistence

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

Frank Herbert

oneself contribution humanity

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

Frank Herbert

inspirational life funny

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

motivational inspirational death

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

ignorance wise men

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

difficult believe people

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

taken mistake thinking

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

Frank Herbert

government personality war

The undeserving maintain power by promoting hysteria.

Frank Herbert

promoting hysteria undeserving

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

Frank Herbert

inspirational love life

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

Frank Herbert

soul might firsts

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

sticks use self

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

Frank Herbert

nature inspirational life

Power attracts the corruptible. Suspect any who seek it.

Frank Herbert

power-and-corruption corruption power

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

Frank Herbert

caring discovery knowledge

There should be a science of discontent. People need hard times and oppression to develop psychic muscles.

Frank Herbert

psychics hard-times people

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

thought-provoking innovation hate

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

aristocracy government class

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

Frank Herbert

wise doe men

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

princess real life

Face your fears or they will climb over your back.

Frank Herbert

face-your-fears climbs faces