Frank Herbert Quotes

Quotes about:

• Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class -- whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy.

  Frank Herbert

  Government, Class, Aristocracy

  Frank Herbert (2008). “Children of Dune”, p.198, Penguin

  56 Copy quote

• All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities.

  Frank Herbert

  War, Government, Personality

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, p.60, Penguin

  74 Copy quote

• When I am weaker than you, I ask you for freedom because that is according to your principles; when I am stronger than you, I take away your freedom because that is according to my principles.

  Frank Herbert

  Stronger, Principles, Your Freedom

  Frank Herbert (2008). “Children of Dune”, p.174, Penguin

  19 Copy quote

• Power attracts the corruptible. Suspect all who seek it ... We should grant power over our affairs only to those who are reluctant to hold it and then only under conditions that increase that reluctance.

  Frank Herbert

  Affair, Increase, Should

  Frank Herbert (1986). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, Berkley Trade

  13 Copy quote

• The undeserving maintain power by promoting hysteria.

  Frank Herbert

  Hysteria, Undeserving, Promoting

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.306, Penguin

  24 Copy quote

• The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.

  Frank Herbert

  Love, Inspirational, Life

  Frank Herbert (2003). “Dune”, p.35, Penguin

  111 Copy quote

• The best contribution one can make to humanity is to improve oneself.

  Frank Herbert

  Humanity, Contribution, Oneself

  36 Copy quote

• Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.

  Frank Herbert

  Men, Thinking, Machines

  Frank Herbert (2003). “Dune”, p.18, Penguin

  17 Copy quote

• Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.

  Frank Herbert

  Freedom, Discipline, History

  Frank Herbert (1985). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, Putnam Publishing Group

  39 Copy quote

• The gravest error a thinking person can make is to believe that one particular version of history is absolute fact. History is recorded by a series of observers, none of whom is impartial. The facts are distorted by sheer passage of time and thousands of years of humanity's dark ages, deliberate misrepresentations by religious sects, and the inevitable corruption that comes from an accumulation of careless mistakes. The wise person, then, views history as a set of lessons to be learned, choices and ramifications to be considered and discussed, and mistakes that should never again be made.

  Frank Herbert

  Wise, Religious, Mistake

  17 Copy quote

• I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

  Frank Herbert

  Inspirational, Motivational, Death

  Frank Herbert (2010). “Heretics Of Dune: The Fifth Dune Novel”, p.10, Hachette UK

  114 Copy quote

• Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty.

  Frank Herbert

  Adventure, Errors, Atheism

  Frank Herbert (2008). “Children of Dune”, p.275, Penguin

  10 Copy quote

• The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.

  Frank Herbert

  Knowledge, Caring, Discovery

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.150, Penguin

  24 Copy quote

• The mistakes (of leaders) are amplified by the numbers who follow them without question. Charismatic leaders tend to build up followings, power structures and these power structures tend to be taken over by people who are corruptible. I don't think that the old saw about 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely' is accurate: I think power attracts the corruptible.

  Frank Herbert

  Mistake, Taken, Thinking

  14 Copy quote

• Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines. Improvements always make those at the top of the heap look inept. Who enjoys appearing inept?

  Frank Herbert

  Hate, Thought Provoking, Innovation

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Heretics of Dune”, p.201, Penguin

  14 Copy quote

• Most civilisation is based on cowardice. It's so easy to civilize by teaching cowardice. You water down the standards which would lead to bravery. You restrain the will. You regulate the appetites. You fence in the horizons. You make a law for every movement. You deny the existence of chaos. You teach even the children to breathe slowly. You tame.

  Frank Herbert

  Children, Teaching, Law

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.330, Penguin

  20 Copy quote

• All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.

  Frank Herbert

  War, Power Corrupts, Magnet

  "Chapterhouse: Dune".

  16 Copy quote

• No matter how much we ask after the truth, self-awareness is often unpleasant. We do not feel kindly toward the Truthsayer.

  Frank Herbert

  Truth, Self, Matter

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.96, Penguin

  13 Copy quote

• Silence is often the best thing to say.

  Frank Herbert

  Silence, Silence Is, Best Things

  Frank Herbert (1987). “Chapterhouse: Dune”, p.105, Penguin

  10 Copy quote

• It is a wise man that does know the contented man is never poor, whilst the discontented man is never rich.

  Frank Herbert

  Wise, Men, Doe

  11 Copy quote

• Absolute power does not corrupt absolutely, absolute power attracts the corruptible.

  Frank Herbert

  Power, Political, Doe

  26 Copy quote

• Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.

  Frank Herbert

  Inspirational, Funny, Life

  "Fictional character: Duke Leto Atreides". "Dune", www.imdb.com. 1984.

  69 Copy quote

• The function of science fiction is not always to predict the future but sometimes to prevent it.

  Frank Herbert

  Science, Fiction, Sometimes

  20 Copy quote

• Beware of the truth, gentle Sister. Although much sought after, truth can be dangerous to the seeker. Myths and reassuring lies are much easier to find and believe. If you find a truth, even a temporary one, it can demand that you make painful changes. Conceal your truths within words. Natural ambiguity will protect you then.

  Frank Herbert

  Lying, Believe, Demand

  Frank Herbert (1984). “God Emperor of Dune”

  13 Copy quote

• When a wise man does not understand, he says: "I do not understand." The fool and the uncultured are ashamed of their ignorance. They remain silent when a question could bring them wisdom.

  Frank Herbert

  Wise, Ignorance, Men

  "The Godmakers". Book by Frank Herbert, 1972.

  20 Copy quote

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