If tempted by something that feels 'altruistic,' examine your motives and root out that self-deception. Then, if you still want to do it, wallow in it! Robert A. Heinlein More Quotes by Robert A. Heinlein More Quotes From Robert A. Heinlein Thinking doesn't pay. Just makes you discontented with what you see around you. Robert A. Heinlein pay thinking The profession of shaman has many advantages. It offers high status with a safe livelihood free of work in the dreary, sweaty sense. In most societies it offers legal privileges and immunities not granted to other men. But it is hard to see how a man who has been given a mandate from on High to spread tidings of joy to all mankind can be seriously interested in taking up a collection to pay his salary; it causes one to suspect that the shaman is on the moral level of any other con man. But it is a lovely work if you can stomach it. Robert A. Heinlein lovely joy men Liberty is never unalienable, it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Robert A. Heinlein unalienable-rights liberty blood My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I hadn’t fallen into the fatal folly of reading anything I could lay hands on. With just a touch more self confidence and a liberal helping of ignorance I could have been a famous evangelist. Robert A. Heinlein self-confidence ignorance reading A critic is a man who creates nothing and thereby feels qualified to judge the work of creative men. There is logic in this; he is unbiased, he hates all creative people equally. Robert A. Heinlein hate men science I believe that almost all politicians are honest. For every bribed alderman there are hundreds of politicians, low paid or not paid at all, doing their level best without thanks or glory to make our system work. If this were not true, we would never have gotten past the thirteen colonies. Robert A. Heinlein levels believe past For me, politeness is a sine qua non of civilization. Robert A. Heinlein polite atheism civilization Beware of altruism. It is based on self-deception, the root of all evil. Robert A. Heinlein self roots evil First you must learn to control your self. The rest follows. Blessed is he who knows himself and commands himself, for the world is his and love and happiness and peace walk with him wherever he goes. Robert A. Heinlein spiritual happiness love Don't handicap your children by making their lives easy. Robert A. Heinlein education life children Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation. Robert A. Heinlein mom mother inspirational The country and culture commonly known as "America" had had a badly split personality all through its history. Its overt laws were almost always puritanical for a people whose covert behavior tended to be Rabelaisian; its major religions were all Apollonian in varying degrees---its religious revivals were often hysterical in a fashion almost Dionysian. Robert A. Heinlein fashion religious country The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract. Robert A. Heinlein contracts make-sense government A managed democracy is a wonderful thing... for the managers... and its greatest strength is a 'free press' when 'free' is defined as 'responsible' and the managers define what is 'irresponsible'. Robert A. Heinlein responsible democracy wonderful The most expensive thing in the world is a second-best military establishment, good but not good enough to win. Robert A. Heinlein military winning war Love is what still goes on when you're not horny. Robert A. Heinlein horny love-is friendship It's amazing how much 'mature wisdom' resembles being too tired. Robert A. Heinlein tired mature wisdom If a grasshopper tries to fight a lawnmower, one may admire his courage but not his judgement. Robert A. Heinlein judgement fighting trying Never encourage a man to cook breakfast; it cause him to wonder if women are necessary. Robert A. Heinlein men sex breakfast Money is the sincerest of all flattery. Women love to be flattered. So do men. Robert A. Heinlein flattered flattery men
