The most important lesson in the writing trade is that any manuscript is improved if you cut away the fat.
Robert A. HeinleinRead
An armed society is a polite society.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A society where people are armed creates a greater respect for personal boundaries and civility.
This quote suggests that when individuals have the means to defend themselves, they are more likely to behave courteously towards one another. The underlying idea is that the potential for self-defense can lead to a more respectful and civil society, as people recognize the seriousness of interactions and the consequences of conflict.
Themes
SocietyPoliticsRespectCivilitySelf-Defense
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about gun control, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of personal security.
More from Robert A. Heinlein
All quotes →Democracy is a poor system of government at best; the only thing that can honestly be said in its favor is that it is eight times as good as any other method the human race has ever tried.
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Long human words (the longer the better) were easy, unmistakable, and rarely changed their meanings . . . but short words were slippery, unpredictable, changing their meanings without any pattern.
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Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things.
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When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere.
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A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.
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