Famous quotes

Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,269 quotes Who coined it · How we decide

English Italiano Polski עברית Français Português فارسی Español 中文 Русский Deutsch العربية हिन्दी 日本語 Ελληνικά Latina

Alfred Bester

14 quotes

“Now, these men weren’t idiots. They were geniuses who paid a high price for their genius because the rest of their thinking was other-world. A genius is someone who travels to truth by an unexpected path. Unfortunately, unexpected paths lead to disaster in everyday life.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) first seen 1958 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: in David G. Hartwell (ed.), The World Treasury of Science Fiction, p. 268 (originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, October 1958)
“This is my first satellite, and d’you know what it's taught me? There’s just one component in any spacecraft that’s guaranteed to give trouble all the time: scientists!”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The mind is the reality. You are what you think.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Neither of us is very trustworthy, eh?” “Pfutz!” Reich said emphatically. “We don’t play girl’s rules. We play for keeps, both of us. It’s the cowards and weaklings and sore-losers who hide behind rules and fair play.” “What about honor and ethics?” “We’ve got honor in us, but it’s our own code...not the make-believe rules some frightened little man wrote for the rest of the frightened little men. Every man’s got his own honor and ethics, and so long as he sticks to ’em, who’s anybody else to point the finger? You may not like his ethics, but you've no right to call him unethical.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Powell repressed the wave of exasperation that rose up in him. It was not exasperation with Chooka. It was anger for the relentless force of evolution that insisted on endowing man with increased powers without removing the vestigial vices that prevented him from using them.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He awoke. He was alive. He wasted no time on prayer or thanks but continued the business of survival.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We always do what’s natural, only sometimes we shouldn’t do it.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Yes, no matter how we defend ourselves against the outside we’re always licked by something from the inside. There’s no defense against betrayal, and we all betray ourselves.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Revenge is for dreams...never for reality.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The man who gives his own decisions priority over society is a criminal.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“That’s me,” he said, motioning to the robot. “That’s all of us. We prattle about free will, but we’re nothing but response...mechanical reaction in prescribed grooves.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for survival.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Damn you!" Dagenham raged, “Don’t you realize that you can’t trust people? They don’t know enough for their own good.” “Then let them learn or die. We’re all in this together. Let’s live or die together.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Wait,” Foyle commanded. He looked at the beaming grin engraved in the steel robot face. “But society can be so stupid. So confused. You’ve witnessed this conference.” “Yes, sir, but you must teach, not dictate. You must teach society.” “To space-jaunte? Why? Why reach out to the stars and galaxies? What for?” “Because you’re alive, sir. You might as well ask: Why is life? Don’t ask about it. Live it.” “Quite mad,” Dagenham muttered. “But fascinating,” Y’ang-Yeovil murmured. “There’s got to be more to life than just living,” Foyle said to the robot. “Then find it for yourself, sir. Don’t ask the world to stop moving because you have doubts.” “Why can’t we all move forward together?” “Because you’re all different. You’re not lemmings. Some must lead, and hope that the rest will follow.” “Who leads?” “The men who must … driven men, compelled men.” “Freak men.” “You’re all freaks, sir. But you always have been freaks. Life is a freak. That’s its hope and glory.” “Thank you very much.” “My pleasure, sir.”
Alfred Bester (1913–1987) said by 1987 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source