Before we are citizens, he thought, we are children, and it is as children that we come to understand freedom and authority, liberty and duty. I have done my duty. I have bowed to authority. Mostly. And now, like Russia, I can set aside those burdens for a little while and see what happens.
Orson Scott Card
Citizenship, Childhood, Freedom, Authority, Duty, Personal Exploration
Orson Scott Card’s Quotes On Topics
Cultural Value | Invention | Innocence | Traumatic Experience | Political Philosophy | Lies | Military Training | Youthful Aspiration | Organizational Success | Emotional Maturity | Reality | Activity | Flexibility | Defeat | Power Dynamics | Fiction | Wisdom | Participation | Aliens | Life Balance | More
More Orson Scott Card Quotes
“Thank God for you, Ender. Thank God.” Orson Scott Card
Gratitude, Relief, Faith, Appreciation, Divine Intervention, Emotional Release
Orson Scott Card Gratitude, Relief, Faith, Appreciation, Divine Intervention, Emotional Release“The opposite of the happy ending is not actually the sad ending-the sad ending is sometimes the happy ending. The opposite of the happy ending is actually the unsatisfying ending.” Orson Scott Card
Storytelling, Satisfaction, Expectations, Narrative Theory, Emotional Impact, Literary Criticism
Orson Scott Card Storytelling, Satisfaction, Expectations, Narrative Theory, Emotional Impact, Literary Criticism“Folks always seemed to think that as long as they didn't know about something bad, it wasn't happening, so whoever told them actually caused it to be true.” Orson Scott Card
Ignorance, Denial, Truth, Responsibility, Social Perception, Psychological Defense
Orson Scott Card Ignorance, Denial, Truth, Responsibility, Social Perception, Psychological Defense“An interesting side effect of the battle was that Ender emerged at the top of the soldier efficiency list. Since he hadn't fired a shot, he had a perfect record on shooting – no misses at all. And since he had never been eliminated or disabled, his percentage there was excellent. No one else came close. It made a lot of boys laugh, and others were angry, but on the prized efficiency list, Ender was now the leader.” Orson Scott Card
Irony, Success, Competition, Leadership, Unexpected Outcomes, Military Training
Orson Scott Card Irony, Success, Competition, Leadership, Unexpected Outcomes, Military Training“Make friends. Be a leader. Kiss butts if you have to, but if the other guys despise you-you know what I mean?” Orson Scott Card
Friendship, Leadership, Social Strategy, Pragmatism, Peer Relationships, Survival Advice
Orson Scott Card Friendship, Leadership, Social Strategy, Pragmatism, Peer Relationships, Survival Advice“It's all just fictions anyway. We do what we do and then we make up reasons for it afterward but they're never the true reasons, the truth is always just out of reach.” Orson Scott Card
Truth, Rationalization, Human Nature, Self-deception, Philosophy, Psychological Insight
Orson Scott Card Truth, Rationalization, Human Nature, Self-deception, Philosophy, Psychological Insight“It's a stupid leader who can't turn follower when somebody offers him a wiser course.” Orson Scott Card
Leadership, Wisdom, Flexibility, Humility, Strategic Thinking, Personal Growth
Orson Scott Card Leadership, Wisdom, Flexibility, Humility, Strategic Thinking, Personal Growth“All is going well, very well, I couldn't ask for anything better – So why do I hate my life?” Orson Scott Card
Dissatisfaction, Success, Unhappiness, Self Reflection, Cognitive Dissonance, Existential Crisis
Orson Scott Card Dissatisfaction, Success, Unhappiness, Self Reflection, Cognitive Dissonance, Existential Crisis“People are never fair, even when they try to be. and few are the ones who try.” Orson Scott Card
Fairness, Human Nature, Effort, Cynicism, Social Observation, Moral Complexity
Orson Scott Card Fairness, Human Nature, Effort, Cynicism, Social Observation, Moral Complexity“Short stories are designed to deliver their impact in as few pages as possible. A tremendous amount is left out, and a good short story writer learns to include only the most essential information.” Orson Scott Card
Writing, Brevity, Storytelling, Craft, Essentials, Literary Technique
Orson Scott Card Writing, Brevity, Storytelling, Craft, Essentials, Literary Technique“Take me home, he said silently to Graff. In my dream you said you loved me. Take me home.” Orson Scott Card
Longing, Home, Love, Dreams, Childhood, Emotional Need
Orson Scott Card Longing, Home, Love, Dreams, Childhood, Emotional Need“Good people do not let others suffer needlessly.” Orson Scott Card
Morality, Compassion, Suffering, Responsibility, Ethics, Human Decency
Orson Scott Card Morality, Compassion, Suffering, Responsibility, Ethics, Human Decency“The great forces of history were real, after a fashion. But when you examined them closely, those great forces always came down to the dreams and hungers and judgments of individuals.” Orson Scott Card
History, Individuality, Influence, Motivation, Human Agency, Societal Forces
Orson Scott Card History, Individuality, Influence, Motivation, Human Agency, Societal Forces“My favourite all-time work of fiction: Lord of the Rings. My favourite all-time nonfiction book: Guns, Germs, and Steel. Ask me again next week, you'll get a different answer.” Orson Scott Card
Preferences, Literature, Change, Indecision, Reading Habits, Personal Taste
Orson Scott Card Preferences, Literature, Change, Indecision, Reading Habits, Personal Taste“The best thing about my job, though, is stopping at the end of the day and rejoining the human universe.” Orson Scott Card
Work, Balance, Humanity, Connection, Social Interaction, Daily Rhythm
Orson Scott Card Work, Balance, Humanity, Connection, Social Interaction, Daily Rhythm“Human beings are free except when humanity needs them. Maybe humanity needs you. To do something. Maybe humanity needs me – to find out what you're good for. We might both do despicable things, Ender, but if humankind survives, then we were good tools.” Orson Scott Card
Freedom, Duty, Humanity, Morality, Survival, Utilitarianism
Orson Scott Card Freedom, Duty, Humanity, Morality, Survival, Utilitarianism“I will never hurt you. I will always help you. If you are hungry Ill give you my food. If you are frightened I am your friend. I love you now. And love does not end.” Orson Scott Card
Love, Commitment, Friendship, Support, Unconditional Love, Emotional Security
Orson Scott Card Love, Commitment, Friendship, Support, Unconditional Love, Emotional Security“Think like a machine instead of a boy.” Orson Scott Card
Logic, Emotion, Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, Human Nature, Cognitive Approach
Orson Scott Card Logic, Emotion, Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, Human Nature, Cognitive Approach“Some men are great enough that they can love a whole woman, and not just part of her.” Orson Scott Card
Love, Greatness, Wholeness, Acceptance, Romantic Idealism, Emotional Maturity
Orson Scott Card Love, Greatness, Wholeness, Acceptance, Romantic Idealism, Emotional Maturity“I know, you've been here a year, you think these people are normal. Well, they're not. WE'RE not. I look in the library, I call up books on my desk. Old ones, because they won't let us have anything new, but I've got a pretty good idea what children are, and we're not children. Children can lose sometimes, and nobody cares. Children aren't in armies, they aren't COMMANDERS, they don't rule over forty other kids, it's more than anybody can take and not get crazy.” Orson Scott Card
Childhood, Normalcy, Responsibility, Military, Pressure, Mental Health
Orson Scott Card Childhood, Normalcy, Responsibility, Military, Pressure, Mental Health