1,085 Quotes by Robert A. Heinlein

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.

If men were the automatons that behaviorists claim they are, the behaviorist psychologists could not have invented the amazing nonsense called 'behaviorist psychology.'

Money is a powerful aphrodisiac but flowers work almost as well.

How you behave toward cats here below determines your status in Heaven.

Life is short, but the years are long.

Peace is a condition in which no civilian pays any attention to military casualties which do not achieve a page one lead story unless that civilian is a close relative of one of the casualties. But, if there ever was a time in history when peace meant that there was no fighting going on, I have been unable to find out about it.

Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily.

Oh, you have to charge ’em, Jubal. The marks won’t pay attention if it’s free.

Never appeal to a man’s ‘better nature.’ He may not have one. Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.