The most important lesson in the writing trade is that any manuscript is improved if you cut away the fat.
Robert A. HeinleinRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote distinguishes between two fundamental political mindsets: those who seek control over others and those who do not.
Robert A. Heinlein's quote highlights a crucial perspective on political ideology, asserting that the true division in society isn't along conventional party lines but rather between those who desire to exert control over others and those who advocate for freedom and autonomy. It suggests that political tags and labels are secondary to this more significant fundamental human motivation, emphasizing a deeper understanding of human nature and governance.
Themes
PoliticsControlFreedomHuman NatureIdeology
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about political ideologies at a conference, this quote can provide a deeper lens to view the differences.
More from Robert A. Heinlein
All quotes →An armed society is a polite society.
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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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