Monday 5 August 2019

"The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." #QotD


"Political tags — such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth — are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire. The former are idealists acting from highest motives for the greatest good of the greatest number. The latter are surly curmudgeons, suspicious and lacking in altruism. But they are more comfortable neighbours than the other sort." 
          ~ Robert Heinlein
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2 comments:

MarkT said...

A good quote - except he gives the former too much credit, and the latter not enough. It's accuracy would be improved by adding the words "perceived as" before the description of both, and adding that the reality is often the opposite to this perception.

Peter Cresswell said...

True. I considered adding something along those lines. But then it wouldn't be a direct quote. And I realised all my readers are sharp enough to get it anyway. :-)