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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay and claims a halo for his dishonesty.

Robert A. Heinlein

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Robert A. Heinlein
Age: 80 †
Born: 1907
Born: July 7
Died: 1988
Died: May 8
Essayist
Literary Critic
Naval Officer
Novelist
Prosaist
Science Fiction Writer
Science Writer
Screenwriter
Stonemason
Writer
Butler
Missouri
Robert Anson Heinlein
Anson MacDonald
Lyle Monroe
John Riverside
Caleb Saunders
Simon York
Men
Group
Shifty
Benefits
Halo
Pay
Pacifism
Groups
Halos
Accepting
Dishonesty
Willing
Accepts
Social
Doctrine
Without
Claims

More quotes by Robert A. Heinlein

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Those who refuse to support and defend the state have no claim to protection by that state. Killing an anarchist or a pacifist should not be considered murder in a legalistic sense. The offense against the state, if any, should be Using deadly weapons within city limits, or Creating a traffic hazard, or other misdemeanor.
Robert A. Heinlein
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From somewhere, back in my youth, heard Prof say, 'Manuel, when faced with a problem you do not understand, do any part of it you do understand, then look at it again.' He had been teaching me something he himself did not understand very well—something in math—but had taught me something far more important, a basic principle.
Robert A. Heinlein
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...a book need never die and should not be killed books were the immortal part of man.
Robert A. Heinlein
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It's amazing how much 'mature wisdom' resembles being too tired.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything - you can't conquer a free man the most you can do is kill him.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind it may offer a way to make him your friend. If not, you can kill him without hate — and quickly.
Robert A. Heinlein
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When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your own dog. Don't farm it out — that doesn't make it nicer, it makes it worse.
Robert A. Heinlein
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You don’t pay back, you pay forward.
Robert A. Heinlein
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He never gave up his search for the Door into Summer.
Robert A. Heinlein
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If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will be through intelligent application of science.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Abstract knowledge is always useful, sooner or later.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Do not confuse duty with what other people expect of you they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Nothing uses up alcohol faster than political argument.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Of all the strange 'crimes' that human beings have legislated out of nothing, 'blasphemy' is the most amazing -- with 'obscenity' and 'indecent exposure' fighting it out for second and third place.
Robert A. Heinlein
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My old man says when it's time to be counted, the important thing is to be man enough to stand up.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Most people who sneer at technology would starve to death if the engineering infrastructure were removed.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Age does not bring wisdom... but it does give perspective... and the saddest sight of all is to see, far behind you, temptations you've resisted.
Robert A. Heinlein
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Remember though, your best weapon is between your ears and under your scalp -provided it's loaded.
Robert A. Heinlein
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When you're rich, you don't have friends you just have endless acquaintances.
Robert A. Heinlein
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If a thing's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. (Lazarus Long)
Robert A. Heinlein