The Mote in God's Eye Quotes

“Nitwit ideas are for emergencies. You use them when you've got nothing else to try. If they work, they go in the Book. Otherwise you follow the Book, which is largely a collection of nitwit ideas that worked.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“We juggle priceless eggs in variable gravity. I am afraid. I will taste fear until I die.”
― Jerry Pournelle, The Mote in God's Eye

“They used to teach us that evolution of intelligent beings wasn't possible," she said. "Societies protect their weaker members. Civilizations tend to make wheel chairs and spectacles and hearing aids as soon as they have the tools for them. When a society makes war, the men generally have to pass a fitness test before they're allowed, to risk their lives. I suppose it helps win the war." She smiled. "But it leaves precious little room for the survival of the fittest.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“We play your part in order to understand you, but you each seem to play a thousand parts. It makes things difficult for an honest, hard-working bug-eyed monster.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“in intelligence work we have to go by capabilities, not by intentions. If a potential enemy can do something to you, you have to prepare for it, without regard to what you think he wants to do.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“There were the meaningless greetings the humans called "formalities": insincere inquiries into the state of health, nebulous benedictions and hopes for past well-being; all compensations for the lack of human Mediators.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Species evolve to meet the environment. An intelligent species changes the environment to suit itself. As soon as a species becomes intelligent, it should stop evolving.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Consider the true picture. Think of myriads of tiny bubbles, very sparsely scattered, rising through a vast black sea. We rule some of the bubbles. Of the waters we know nothing”
― Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle, The Mote in God's Eye

“What have they said to us?"
"I could translate, but it would be meaningless. They have welcomed us in the name of their Emperor, who appears to be an over-Master. The short, round one is Mediator to this Emperor."
"Ah. We have at last found one who can communicate. Speak to her."
"But he has said nothing!"
"Say nothing in return.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Species evolve to meet the environment. An intelligent species changes the environment to suit itself. As soon as a species becomes intelligent, it should stop evolving." "A”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Nitwit ideas are for emergencies. You use them when you've got nothing else to try. If they work, they go in the Book. Otherwise you follow the Book, which is largely a collection of nitwit ideas that worked." Cargill”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Matthew 7:3”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Admiral's compliments, and you're to come to his office right away," Midshipman Staley announced.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“But man, it's a start!" said Whitbread. "There's got to be a way—" "I am not a man, and there doesn't got to be a way. And that's another reason I don't want contact between your species and mine. You're all Crazy Eddies. You think every problem has a solution.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“It—it ought to be pretty well closed off for an intelligent species," she said. "Species evolve to meet the environment. An intelligent species changes the environment to suit itself. As soon as a species becomes intelligent, it should stop evolving.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“I have theories. Notice the patterns of deference as they approach their seats. Viceroy Merrill assists Sally to climb the stairs. Titles are omitted by some and always used by others, and given redundantly in full over the loudspeakers. The 'gentlemen of the press' would seem to have no status at all, yet they stop whom they please, and although the others will prevent them from going where they will, they are not punished for trying.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Then why don't you marry him?" Sally laughed. "I don't want to jump into anything. 'Marry in haste, repent at leisure.' I can get married any time." Her trained objectivity made her add, "Well, any time within the next five years. I'll be something of a spinster if I'm not married by then.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“a historian named Herodotus, tells of a thief who was to be executed. As he was taken away he made a bargain with the king: in one year he would teach the king's favorite horse to sing hymns.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Chaplain Hardy handed him the silver pail and asperger, a wand with a hollow ball at the end.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“he doesn't have the normal share of miterosis.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“miterosis.”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye

“Meet Crazy Eddie”
― Larry Niven, The Mote in God's Eye