Jack McDevitt quotes - page 2

The man was either foolish or fearless. Assuming there was a difference. (Jack McDevitt)
Defend your opinion only if it can be shown to be true, not because it is your opinion. View quote
Jack McDevitt
A man without money is a bow without an arrow. View quote
Jack McDevitt
What would happen is that people like Geroge and Alyx would grow old and die chasing a dream. Although there were probably worse things to do with one's life. View quote
Jack McDevitt
He was usually easygoing, one of those guys with little respect for authority because of a conviction that people in charge tend to do stupid things. View quote
Jack McDevitt
Politicians always seemed to be willing to sacrifice the general welfare to win votes. View quote
Jack McDevitt
In the larger scale of things, his opinions didn't count anyhow. The politicians made the decisions, and the voters paid no attention. View quote
Jack McDevitt
When do we reach a point where people become responsible for their own actions? View quote
Jack McDevitt
Freedom and idiots make a volatile mix. And the sad truth is that the idiocy quotient in the general population is alarmingly high. View quote
Jack McDevitt
Somewhere we taught ourselves that our opinions are more significant than the facts. And somehow we get our egos and our opinions and Truth all mixed up in a single package, so that when something does challenge one of the notions to which we subscribe, we react as if it challenges us. View quote
Jack McDevitt
The uplifters are forever running around telling blockheads they would do better if they would believe in themselves. But they already do. That is why they are blockheads. (Jack McDevitt)
When things go wrong, the standard management strategy is to decide who takes the blame. This should be an underling, as far down the chain as possible, but preferably with some visibility so people know management means business. View quote
Jack McDevitt
One could not always put safety up front as the prime goal. Do that, and who would ever achieve anything of note? View quote
Jack McDevitt
The problem is that too often the only people who can act don't want change. Power doesn't so much corrupt as it breeds conservatism. View quote
Jack McDevitt
New worlds are always hard on old ideas. View quote
Jack McDevitt
There'd been studies over the years supporting the proposition that groups composed exclusively of women usually made intelligent decisions, that exclusively male groups did a bit less well, and that mixed groups did most poorly of all, by a substantial margin. It appeared that, when women were present, testosterone got the upper hand and men took greater risks than they might otherwise. Correspondingly, women in the mixed group tended to revert to roles, becoming more passive, and going along with whatever misjudgment the males might perpetrate. View quote
Jack McDevitt
Prudence, and experience, suggested she expect the worst. View quote
Jack McDevitt
Truth, beaten down, may well rise again. But there's a reason it gets beaten down. Usually, we don't like it very much. View quote
Jack McDevitt
The idiots always rose to the top and made policy. It explained a lot of things. View quote
Jack McDevitt
Faith has its price. When misfortune strikes the true believer, he assumes he has done something to deserve punishment, but isn't quite certain what. The realist, recognizing that he lives in a Darwinian universe, is simply grateful to have made it to another sunset. View quote
Jack McDevitt
It had been his experience that the worst cynics all started out as idealists. (Jack McDevitt)
See what the world looks like from orbit. Well, in that way, at least, there was profit to be had. Nobody could look down at the planet, green and blue, with no borders in evidence and no sign of human habitation, and not get his perspective forever altered. View quote
Jack McDevitt
The Peacekeepers had a tradition that every problem had a solution. It was a nice slogan. Wasn't true, but it sounded good. View quote
Jack McDevitt
But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody. View quote
Jack McDevitt
There is no justice. There are occasional acts of vengeance, or regret, but there's no real justice. In the natural scheme of things, it is not possible. View quote
Jack McDevitt