“He was going to live forever, or die in the attempt.”

I don’t understand the process of imagination-though I know that I am very much at its mercy.

Where were you born?” “On a battlefield,” [Yossarian] answered. “No, no. In what state were you born?” “In a state of innocence.

Peace on earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it.

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.

While none of the work we do is very important, it is important that we do a great deal of it.

But that was war. Just about all he could find in its favor was that it paid well and liberated children from the pernicious influence of their parents.

Mankind is resilient: the atrocities that horrified us a week ago become acceptable tomorrow.

I don’t believe in miracles because it’s been a long time since we’ve had any.

He knew everything there was to know about literature, except how to enjoy it.

Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for.

History was a trash bag of random coincidences torn open in a wind.

Something did happen to me somewhere that robbed me of confidence and courage and left me with a fear of discovery and change and a positive dread of everything unknown that may occur.

Frankly, I’d like to see the government get out of war altogether and leave the whole field to private industry.

He was a self-made man who owed his lack of success to nobody

The laws of nature are only as immutable as the minds which promote them. Ignorance of the law is 9/10ths of the law. Just because you aren’t paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.

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.

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.

Rationalization is a process of not perceiving reality, but of attempting to make reality fit one’s emotions.

When we attempt to exercise power or control over someone else, we cannot avoid giving that person the very same power or control over us.

Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hidden.

My rule was I will not answer a question that attempts to project how I will rule in a case that might come before the court.

The space shuttle was often used as an example of why you shouldn’t even attempt to make something reusable. But one failed experiment does not invalidate the greater goal. If that was the case, we’d never have had the light bulb.

The only responsibility I feel is to deliver something that’s new or at least to attempt that. The real responsibility is to entertain and to try and make people laugh.

I attempt to be who I am and it’s fun. At the same time, growing up doing what I’m doing can be a little crazy.