S.M. Anderson > Quotes

“There’s always going to be the one percent out there. Evil dickheads, at both ends of the political spectrum, just wanting the power. They’re nothing, one percent, if that. Easily ignored if it weren’t for the nasty, efficient, ambitious, back stabbing fifteen or twenty percent that don’t believe in anything one way or another. They just feed off of the power and authority, and in turn, grow it, protect it. I don’t care if it’s the New Caliphate, South American Junta Republic, the Central Asian Bloc, Nazi Germany, Mao’s China, the Soviet Union, or hell, Russia at any time in the last 600 years. It comes down to the bureaucrats that owe their allegiance to the system or entity that employs them and everything they’ll do to grow and protect the power they see as theirs.”
― S.M. Anderson, Come and Take It

“A guiding hand, no matter how benevolent or light can’t help but strive to protect itself, its institutions, its power, its bureaucracy and its authority over time.”
― S.M. Anderson, Come and Take It

“Starvation was a great motivator. Fear, chaos, and trauma were the ultimate recruitment tools. Add in the idea of acting for the supposed benefit of all, and there was very little that people wouldn’t be able to justify doing.”
― S.M. Anderson, Reap What You Sow

“nodded gravely,”
― S.M. Anderson, Come and Take It

“It all comes down to competition. When our industrial revolution first began, Earth was ruled by monarchs. Wars soon took on a scope and scale that formerly would have been unthinkable—besides being beyond the scope of any kingdom to pay for. The monarchies, over time, were replaced by governments which, to varying degrees, allowed for the citizens to participate. It created the wealth that nation-states could call upon in times of war. “I don’t want to give you the impression that our society evolved in lock-step as part of some grand plan. The people living through those changes didn’t even have the concepts to explain what was happening. I have the advantage of having paid attention in my history classes. It was incredibly haphazard—fits and starts, wars, revolutions, counterrevolutions, etc.” “I know you aren’t calling for a revolution here,” Tima pressed. “Continue.” “The new economic systems relied, to varying degrees, on an educated populace, and so did the new political structures. Gradually capitalism, our economic system, became the most efficient way for a nation to harness the energy and spirit of its people. An individual with a great idea could become rich and powerful—good ideas were rewarded by the system itself. Bad ones would die on the vine. The problems started when the rich and powerful became the political leaders—too many laws and rules were created to protect the status quo, and it was no longer good idea versus bad, but which idea had the backing of the powers that be—” “Stop.” Tima held out a hand. “You are getting off into your recent history—the reason for your people leaving Earth and going to Eden. I’m less interested in that, and more in weighing your Earth’s development against that of my world. Why is this development prevented by our culture?”   Ocheltree shrugged and pointed a finger at him. “You yourself have complained to me how hard it is to get others to even consider a new way of thinking. People have to be free to bring new ideas forward. If all you have is dedication to authority, you really are limited to the creativity and genius of your leaders.”
― S.M. Anderson, The Wrong Game

“They had the best encryption on the planet, and this face to face gathering had the taste of hubris.”
― S.M. Anderson, A Bright Shore

“This mutation is airborne, with a slow symptomatic presentation, as much as a week or ten days. There are millions, if not tens of millions of infected right now.”
― S.M. Anderson, End of Summer

“Kyle,”
― S.M. Anderson, New Shores

“don’t argue with an idiot, bystanders won’t be able to tell you apart,”
― S.M. Anderson, Come and Take It

“Pure and simple victimology with a revenge fetish.”
― S.M. Anderson, A Bright Shore

“The arrhythmic ticking of half frozen rain off the windshield was the only other sound and added to the expectation that he would say something.”
― S.M. Anderson, A Bright Shore

“Putting something into orbit around Chandra was no more difficult than sending a load of supplies to Caledonia.”
― S.M. Anderson, Bridgehead

“The General shrugged again with both palms up and laughed to himself. “Makes no sense, but you understand… they’re Russian. It’s what they do.”
― S.M. Anderson, A Bright Shore

“He knew it played a role, helped a lot of people, and he was big believer in charity, though in his mind there were too many people who taken advantage of a bureaucratic system that did nothing but reward weakness and indolence.”
― S.M. Anderson, Come and Take It