From men motivated by moral certitude, history teaches, no lasting good ever comes.
JOSEPH HELLERMen went mad and were rewarded with medals.
More Joseph Heller Quotes
-
-
When I look up, I see people cashing in. I don’t see heaven or saints or angels. I see people cashing in on every decent impulse and every human tragedy.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Remember that everyone deserves some fun during working hours.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Where were you born?” “On a battlefield,” [Yossarian] answered. “No, no. In what state were you born?” “In a state of innocence.
JOSEPH HELLER -
She was the epitome of stately sorrow each time she smiled.
JOSEPH HELLER -
They agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.
JOSEPH HELLER -
The enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he is on.
JOSEPH HELLER -
You know, that might be the answer – to act boastfully about something we ought to be ashamed of. That’s a trick that never seems to fail.
JOSEPH HELLER -
He was never without misery, and never without hope.
JOSEPH HELLER -
I’m not running away from my responsibilities. I’m running to them. There’s nothing negative about running away to save my life.
JOSEPH HELLER -
You’re an intelligent person of great moral character who has taken a very courageous stand. I’m an intelligent person with no moral character at all, so I’m in an ideal position to appreciate it.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Well, he died. You don’t get any older than that.
JOSEPH HELLER -
I want to keep my dreams, even bad ones, because without them, I might have nothing all night long.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Prostitution gives her an opportunity to meet people. It provides fresh air and wholesome exercise, and it keeps her out of trouble.
JOSEPH HELLER -
I don’t believe in miracles because it’s been a long time since we’ve had any.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Insanity is contagious.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Every writer I know has trouble writing.
JOSEPH HELLER -
I’ve only had four ideas for a novel in my life, and I’ve written all of them.
JOSEPH HELLER -
All of my books deal in a very rough, rude fashion with subjects about which there are great conflicts of opinion.
JOSEPH HELLER -
There was no telling what people might find out once they felt free to ask whatever questions they wanted to.
JOSEPH HELLER -
It doesn’t make a damned bit of difference who wins the war to someone who’s dead.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Destiny is a good thing to accept when it’s going your way. When it isn’t, don’t call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery, or simple bad luck.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
JOSEPH HELLER -
Success and failure are both difficult to endure. Along with success come drugs, divorce, fornication, bullying, travel, meditation, medication, depression, neurosis and suicide. With failure comes failure.
JOSEPH HELLER -
The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them.
JOSEPH HELLER -
He knew everything there was to know about literature, except how to enjoy it.
JOSEPH HELLER