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David Brin Quotes

born 1950 United States

Glen David Brin (born October 6, 1950) is an American author of science fiction. He is the winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

United States
Libertarians
Novelists
Science fiction authors
Short story writers

Random David Brin quote

121 quotes

“A hero is someone who gets the job done, Albert,” Clara once said. “Bravely when necessary. Courage is an admirable last resort, for when intelligence fails.”

Kiln People (2002)

Prison for the crime of puberty—that was how secondary school had seemed, when he really thought back on it.

Earth (1990)

He tried again, but their sullen, rural obstinacy was impervious to logic.

The Postman (1985)

If humanity has one majestic talent, it’s an almost infinite capacity to get used to the Next Big Thing…then take it for granted.

Kiln People (2002)

“They accepted warriors...” he emphasized, “...That divinely mad type that’s so valuable when needed, and such a problem when it’s not.”

The Postman (1985)

What point was there in pursuing an ever-elusive popularity?

Startide Rising (1983)

Anyway, hurt feelings aren’t my concern, just facts. The crux is that civilization falls without accountability. What people do with it is their own concern.

Kiln People (2002)

Globalization never ended human cultural diversity, but it did transform ethnicity into another hobby. Another way for people to find value in themselves, when only the genuinely talented can get authentic jobs.

Kiln People (2002)

Wisdom. No match for the troublemaker Curiosity.

Glory Season (1993)

He was, after all, a diplomat, and understood that the best and firmest deals are based on open self-interest.

The Uplift War (1987)

Petals floating by, Drift through my woman’s hand, As she remembers me.

Startide Rising (1983)

It was better to imagine a sacrifice being for something.

Startide Rising (1983)

They say survival is Nature’s only form of flattery.

Glory Season (1993)

How can we set up a system which encourages individuals to strive and excel, and yet which shows some compassion to the weak, and weeds out madmen and tyrants?

The Postman (1985)

Piss on the world, or it’ll piss on you.

Glory Season (1993)

It's how creativity works. Especially in humans. For every good idea, ten thousand idiotic ones must first be posed, sifted, tried out, and discarded. A mind that's afraid to toy with the ridiculous will never come up with the brilliantly original.

Brightness Reef (1995)

As in elections, the law pretended universal rights, while securing the interests of powerful houses.

Glory Season (1993)

A delusion that our ancestors disproved time and again, decisively — though not without a lot of pain.

A rant about stupidity... and the coming civil war (2009)

It is the one uniform trait shown by every* vicious, obstinate and troglodytic enemy of the American Experiment.

A rant about stupidity... and the coming civil war (2009)

You can’t fight biology. Only push at the rules, here and there.

Glory Season (1993)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: David Brin (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.