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Keith Laumer

50 quotes

“I was still alive, but that was a mere detail, subject to change. (p. 13)”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Adventure has been defined as somebody else having a difficult time, a long way away. (p. 17)”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The last burst picked me up and threw me a thousand miles into an open grave and the mud showered down on me and a giant tombstone fell out of the sky to mark the place, but I didn’t care any more, because I was far away, in that place where the heroes and the cowards lie together with a fine impartiality, waiting for eternity to pass, slowly, like a procession of snails creeping across an endless desert toward a distant line of mountains. (p. 18)”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You’re talking to yourself.” “It’s all right. I’m not listening.” (p. 78)”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The San Andreas Fault,” Waverly groaned. “Good-by San Francisco!” “It’s the Sequoias I’m thinking of,” Fom Berj sighed. “Remarkable organisms, and not nearly so easy to replace as San Franciscans.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I can see there’s been a miscarriage of justice.” “An abortion, you mean!”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Third Era had recognized the impossibility of correcting the effects of human interference with more human interference.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Man clings to his self-orientation at the psychological center of the Universe. You can face any challenge within that framework, suffer any loss, endure any hardship—so long as the structure remains intact.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Are you sure you’re really the Devil and not someone else with the same name?”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“So—let’s remember the Uranium Rule. Don’t Do It! The Other Guy May Be Bigger!”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Most taboos have to do with eating, sex, elimination or gods; so remember, look before you sit down, lie down, squat down or kneel down!”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To be adult is to be disillusioned. Only realities count.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Foster shook his head. “The inherent inertia of the human mind,” he said. “How it fights to resist new ideas.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I’m arguing with myself and I can’t tell who’s winning.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I know; you don’t consider it impossible. That’s the trouble with you; you don’t consider anything impossible. It would make life a lot easier for me if you’d let me rule out a few items—like leprechauns who hang out at Stonehenge.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It’s a failing of your culture,” Foster said, “that hypothesis becomes dogma almost overnight. You’re too close to your Neolithic, when the blind acceptance of tribal lore had survival value. Having learned to evoke the fire god from sticks, by rote, you tend to extend the principal to all ‘established facts.’”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There’s nothing like a little slavery to make a man appreciate even a modest portion of freedom.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I wanted to tell him that all lives are the same length when viewed from the foreshortened perspective of death, and that life, like music, requires no meaning but only a certain symmetry.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All right. Let’s begin with the world situation.” “I’d prefer a more cheerful subject—like cancer.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Yours is not to reason why, eh? I guess you’re lucky at that. It’s not dying that hurts—it’s living.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Why do you fight this war?” The alien mind howled out its war slogan—as incomprehensible as an astrologer’s jargon.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Out of the synthesis of opposites, a cancerous growth called Beauty came into being; obscene antisurvival concepts named Loyalty, Courage, Justice were born into the universe. Wherever the elemental Purities encountered this monstrous hybrid, a battle of extermination was joined. Good could compromise with Evil, but neither could meet with the half-breed, Art.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Judge a chap on what he does, and not what he is, eh? None of us can help our natural tendencies—and perhaps overcoming one’s instincts is in the end a nobler achievement than not having the impulse in the first place.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I know it’s hard to grasp at first. I seem to recall I was a bit difficult to convince once. We are accustomed to thinking we know everything. There’s a powerful tendency to just disbelieve anything that doesn’t fit the preconception.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I took all these details in as the mighty carnivore looked me over, yawned, and paced majestically toward me, frowning across at the distant herds like a troubled politician wondering who to pay the bribe to.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It was easy to see the mechanics of schizophrenia at work here. From wishing, it was an easy jump to believe.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I say, old man, you’re developing something of a persecution complex, I’m afraid—” “That’s easy, when you’re persecuted.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Just what is your position here?” “I’m an adviser to his Majesty.” Nicodaeus smiled blandly. “He thinks I’m a master of magic, of course, but among these feather-heads a little common sense is sufficient to earn one a reputation as a wise man.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Him and his pet dragon—” “More folklore, I take it?” “Well, I never actually seen this dragon.” “Hmmm. Funny how nobody I’ve met has seen it, but they all believe in it.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Magic, after all? He felt the untrimmed hair at the nape of his neck rising. But then, maybe it was just electronics—magic rationalized.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“None of that, either,” he commanded. “Keep your mind on the immediate problem—just as soon as you figure out what the immediate problem is,” he added.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It’s an old trick,” the security chief said. “Reverse cunning, we call it in the security game; indistinguishable from utter stupidity.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“M-magic?” Lafayette stuttered. “Nonsense. Electronics.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He turned; she stood in the doorway, clad in an invisible negligee.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Strange—I go along for months at a time—even years—without so much as a mild concussion—and then bam—slam—bash! They start using my head for a practice dummy. That’s how I can tell that I’m having an adventure.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Quelius—you’re nuts—did you know that?” “Of course. That’s quite all right. Better embarked on an exciting insanity than moldering away in dull normality. One thing you can’t deny: we psychotics lead interesting lives.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Rules had been made, and even enforced from time to time. When the first absolute prohibition of time meddling came along, it was already far too late.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Take it easy, girl,” I said, and patted her shoulder; I knew my touching her would chill her down again. Not a nice thing to know, but useful.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Don’t go female on me now. We don’t have time for nonsense.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Are you all right?” Mellia said. “It’s nothing a month in the intensive care unit wouldn’t clear up.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sure—that’s the concept. It wouldn’t be the first concept that had to be modified in the face of experience.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“One nice thing about working with a piece of machinery: you don’t waste time trying to justify your actions.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Less than total control is no control at all. You will obey my instructions, Mr. Ravel. In every detail. Or I will scrap the project.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It was a nasty little village, poverty-stricken, ugly, hostile, much like little towns in all times and climes.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Karg looked at her with the interested expression of a coroner who sees his customer twitch.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Too late, I realized how I had trapped myself. I had let sleep in as a guest, and death had slipped through the door.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Impossible!” he said, as if he believed it—or as if he wanted awfully badly to believe it.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“An idea was beginning to get through, and he wasn’t liking it very well.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Lucifer hurried on. “But I assure you that most of what you’ve heard is grossly exaggerated. That is to say, I’m not really as bad as all that. I mean, there are different kinds of er, badness. There is the real evil, and then there’s sin. I’m, ah, associated with sin.” “The distinction seems a subtle one, Mr., ah, Lucifer—” “Not really, professor. We all sense instinctively what true evil is. Sin is merely statutory evil—things that are regarded as wrong simply because there’s a rule against them. Like, ah, smoking cigarettes and drinking liquor and going to movies on Sunday, or wearing lipstick and silk hose, or eating pork, or swatting flies—depending on which set of rules you’re going by. They’re corollary to ritual virtues such as lighting candles or spinning prayer wheels or wearing out-of-date styles.” Dimpleby leaned back and steepled his fingers. “Hmmm. Whereas genuine evil…?” “Murder, violence, lying, cheating, theft,” Lucifer enumerated. “Sin, on the other hand, essentially includes anything that looks like it might be fun.” “Come to think of it, I’ve never heard anything in praise of fun from the anti-sin people,” Curl said thoughtfully. “Nor from any ecclesiastic with a good head for fund-raising,” Dimpleby concluded. “It’s all due to human laziness, I’m afraid,” Lucifer said sadly. “It seems so much easier and more convenient to observe a few ritual prohibitions than to actually give up normal business practices.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The human mind is a pattern, nothing more. The first dim flicker of awareness in the evolving forebrain of Australopithecus carried that pattern in embryo; and down through all the ages, as the human neural engine increased in power and complexity, gained control of its environment in geometrically expanding increments, the pattern never varied. Man clings to his self-orientation as the psychological center of the Universe. He can face any challenge within that framework, suffer any loss, endure any hardship—so long as the structure remains intact. Without it he’s a mind adrift in a trackless infinity—lacking any scale against which to measure his aspirations, his losses, his victories. Even when the light of his intellect shows him that the structure is itself a product of his brain; that infinity knows no scale, and eternity no duration—still he clings to his self-non-self concept, as a philosopher clings to a life he knows must end, to ideals he knows are ephemeral, to causes he knows will be forgotten.”
Keith Laumer (1925–1993) said by 1993 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source