1,579 Quotes by Kurt Vonnegut

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.

I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.

Just because we think we’re so wonderful doesn’t mean we really are. We could be really terrible animals and just never admit it because it would hurt so much.

It often is a terrible insult to some families if one of the kids turns out to be an artist and that’s one way to really shake up the family if you haven’t got nerve enough to turn into a homosexual.

Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.

It’s an astonishing skill that people can read, and read well. Very few people can read well. For instance, I have to be very careful with irony, saying something while meaning the exact opposite.

You can’t fight progress. The best you can do is ignore it, until it finally takes your livelihood and self-respect away.

People don’t come to church for preachments, of course, but to daydream about God.

This is a nation tragedy, of course – that we’ve changed from a society to an audience.