Master of Formalities Quotes

“people who care will always be at the mercy of people who don’t.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“It is often said that the most majestic tree starts as a mere sapling. It is less commonly noted that when viewed by an insect, the sapling was majestic in its own right.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“There was nothing remarkable about him at all, save for his eyebrows, which were noticeable from a surprising distance. They were chaotic thickets of tangled, wiry hairs, extending in every possible direction from his brow ridge. His eyebrows overshadowed and dominated the rest of him, as if he weren’t so much a man as an eyebrow delivery system.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“After listening to that story, Rayzo had learned that he was able to roll his eyes hard enough to cause physical pain. He feared he might have twisted his optic nerve.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“It is poor form to accuse someone of being a liar. It is far poorer form to lie. The mark of a skilled liar is the ability to convince others that the inverse is true.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Because anyone is free to attempt anything, as long as she or he is willing to accept the consequences.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Back then, it was common to greet travelers who didn’t know where they were, when they were there, or in some cases, who they were.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“the great thing about suffering is that it makes us stronger whether we seek it out or not.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Every generation believes that they are the first to ever misbehave. They don’t understand that the reason their less-honorable activities upset we who are older is that we know from experience where those actions may lead.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Every statue represents a ruined piece of pristine, unused clay, which in turn represents a hole dug in the ground somewhere.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Phee, people who care will always be at the mercy of people who don’t.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Wollard said it with conviction, though Phee struggled to betray no emotion. While it was true that this strategy had led to peace in the past, part of the secret knowledge from the Arbiters that all Masters of Formalities needed to understand in order to do their job was that all strategies led to peace eventually. Even defeat leads to peace, if you take a broad enough view.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“As was befitting of her post as the sole ruler of one of the galaxy’s more influential planets, Lady Jakabitus’s office was larger than many entire buildings. Just beyond the center of the room stood Lady Jakabitus’s desk, which itself was larger than most offices. Behind the desk, Lady Jakabitus stood across from a general who was larger than most desks.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“She was, in truth, the least ornamented thing in the room, as the truly important things usually are.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Our airborne weapons can level buildings and render large areas uninhabitable. Our ground-based weapon systems are designed to repel an air attack. Neither is effective against a small group of unarmed soldiers, unless those soldiers are launched through the air somehow. We weren’t prepared for the Hahn to simply walk over and physically attack us man to man. In a sense, the war has grown too civilized for that.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Lady Jakabitus is a genuinely decent person. Not every Master of Formalities is so lucky. I hope you don’t learn that the hard way when you move on to your own assignment. My point is: the people we deal with have real power. Those kinds of people don’t react well to being told that they can’t do things. If you tell the ruler of a world that she can’t do something, she may well do it just to show everyone, including herself, that she can.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“I’m ashamed to admit that my first instinct was to run, not for cover, but to the kitchen, where I feel like I know what I’m doing. Several of the brutes pursued and cornered me, though luckily it was near the meat carving station. The Hahn didn’t know the mistake they’d made. Most military outposts, like most households, rely entirely on bulkfabs for their sustenance. Only the wealthy, the lucky, or their servants, have ever seen an actual kitchen full of kitchen tools, and these men were none of those things. Please thank Barsparse for encouraging me to work on my knife skills. Ghastly as that sounds, they saved my life.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Wollard recited the full formal greeting, as was customary. The younger members of the staff rolled their eyes and looked bored, as was also customary. The full formal greeting was designed long ago, in the days when interstellar travel still involved time distortion and suspended animation. Back then, it was common to greet travelers who didn’t know where they were, when they were there, or in some cases, who they were. Of course, those days were long past. In these more modern times the full greeting was only used at the most formal occasions or by the most formal people.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Why is etiquette important?” “Because it maintains civility, making it possible for people from different worlds to interact with a minimum of unnecessary conflict.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“It is poor form to accuse someone of being a liar. It is far poorer form to lie. The mark of a skilled liar is the ability to convince others that the inverse is true. -Excerpt from The Arbiters’ Official Guidelines Regarding Formal Accusations, Declarations of Wrongdoing, and Assorted Nonverbal Expressions of Reproach”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“perseverance isn’t a virtue if what you’re doing is wrong,”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“He had tried to frame the journey in his mind as an adventure filled with exotic sights and new experiences, seasoned with a little fear of the unknown. Instead, he had seen the insides of various terminals, lounges, and transport vessels, and experienced institutional indifference in its many forms, seasoned with fear of the all-too-well-known. Currently, he feared death in a fiery orbital transport accident, which didn’t actually happen that often, but was spectacular enough when it did that most people pictured it happening to them whenever they boarded an orbital transport.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Wollard looked up from his papers to survey the assembled staff. He had walked in looking at the floor and launched into the greeting immediately. Now, he took a moment to select his next words. “Why are there multiple people missing?” he asked. Kreet raised his hand and said, “Aren’t you supposed to start your question with query?” Wollard regarded Kreet silently, raising an impatient eyebrow. Kreet grimaced, then said, “Query.” “Recognized.” “Aren’t you supposed to start a question with query?” “You’re supposed to. I, as the chair of the meeting, have the power to ask questions at will, as long as they are pertinent to the matter at hand.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“Many noted that when mankind went to the stars and found no aliens there, they set about making themselves as alien as possible.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities

“It is poor form to assume, but it is impossible to function without making assumptions. Thus, proper form dictates that you act on your assumptions without discussing them. Others may assume that you are making assumptions, but they will not mention it. To do so would be to show the world that they are guilty of poor form.”
― Scott Meyer, Master of Formalities