Young Flandry Quotes

“Cynicism is boringly fashionable. I didn't think you would be afraid to say mankind is worth fighting for.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“she'd say there must be something in Leviticus against mixing so many metaphors.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“Root'—radix—you radicals are all alike," Flandry said. "You think everything springs from one or two unique causes, and if only you can get at them, everything will automatically become paradisical. History doesn't go that way. Read some and see what the result of every resort to violence by reformists has been.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“You'll either be killed, young man, or you'll do something that will force us to step on you, or you'll go far indeed.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“I hope we do feel and reason enough alike that I can play tricks on you.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“I won't lie down and die gracefully. I'm far too cowardly for that.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“Hard to imagine, but . . . well, we have so many bureaucrats, so many people in high places like Lord Hauksberg who insists the enemy doesn't really mean harm”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“Sure, war is degrading. But there are worse degradations. Sure, peace is wonderful. But you can't always have peace, except in death, and you most definitely can't have a peace that isn't founded on hard common interest, that doesn't pay off for everybody concerned. Sure, the Empire is sick. But she's ours. She's all we've got. Son, the height of irresponsibility is to spread your love and loyalty so thin that you haven't got enough left for the few beings and the few institutions which rate it from you.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“You know," he said, "ever since Akhnaton ruled in Egypt, probably since before then, a school of thought has held we ought to lay down our weapons and rely on love. That, if love doesn't work, at least we'll die guiltless. Usually even its opponents have said this is a noble idea. I say it stinks. I say it's not just unrealistic, not just infantile, it's evil.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“You are shameless! Will go far indeed, if no one shoots you first.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry

“An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications. Or else a mouse is a transistorized elephant.”
― Poul Anderson, Young Flandry