Vincent H. O'Neil > Quotes

“Actors are all about entrances, but writers are all about exits.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Death Troupe

“That's what I love most about writers--they're such lousy actors.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Death Troupe

“If your actions are dictated by who might be watching, they’ll never be genuine—and neither will you.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, The Unused Path: Skills for living an authentic life

“Your boss takes a dim view of SEX?”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Death Troupe

“Manipulation gets people to do something they aren't likely to do if given the opportunity to think.

Appeals to emotion are some of the easiest methods of manipulation, because strong emotions can cloud our minds while also getting us to act.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, The Unused Path: Skills for living an authentic life

“If a tattoo is supposed to make a statement, that kid’s body is just plain babbling.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Crime Capsules: Tales of Death, Desire, and Deception

“The words of his various writing instructors and professional mentors over the years came back to him at times like these, and he found a new understanding in their advice: Writing is rewriting. The rough draft is just that. You can’t polish what you haven’t written.

Things that made for a normal life—like a daily routine that followed the sun—took a back seat to times like these, and he exulted in that change because it served as proof that his writing was indeed the most important thing in his life. It wasn’t a conscious choice on his part, like deciding to repaint the bathroom or go buy the groceries, but an overarching reallocation of his existence that was as undeniable as breathing. Day turned into night, breakfast turned into dinner, and the laptop or the writing tablet beckoned even when he was asleep.

He would often awake with a new idea—as if he’d merely been on a break and not unconscious—and he would see the empty seat before the desk not as his station in some pointless assembly line, but as the pilot’s seat in a ship that could go anywhere.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Death Troupe

“Bad instructors teach you what to think, worse ones teach you how to think, but the good ones teach you how important it is to learn to think for yourself.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“As long as I can remember it’s been, ‘Be a good team player, get along, follow the rules.’ Well who made those rules?”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“There are people who’d rather be wrong, standing with the crowd, than be right standing alone.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, The Unused Path: Skills for living an authentic life

“And if that sounds like an excuse, sue me. Everybody else has.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Murder in Exile

“If you let other people and random circumstances choose your beliefs, actions, and attitudes, you might end up with a life that doesn’t fit you or your personality.

If you’re the one who makes those choices, however, you may just end up living authentically. Your actions, words, and thoughts will match who you are.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, The Unused Path: Skills for living an authentic life

“That world had failed them, because it told them material things were all they’d ever need. It had laid out a life for them instead of letting them choose one for themselves.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“Okay, let's cut the chatter. Open Mike Night's not 'til Tuesday.' Ruby's voice broke in. He must have had a van full of people to do that, as he normally let the comedians in the group rant away at will.

Sorry, Rube.' It was Danny, in the blue van.

Danny, you weren't even talking just now.'

I know.'

Then what are you apologizing for?”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Reduced Circumstances

“Just taking a few moments to evaluate what’s being said, to identify the motives of whoever’s speaking, and to ask if what they’re saying makes any sense, can help us avoid being manipulated.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“An overemphasis on teamwork and consensus can cause a kind of mental lethargy. If you subordinate your own expectations to the expectations of the group, you’re absolved of the responsibilities for the choices the group makes.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“Build confidence in your ability to solve problems and make decisions, and your response to challenging situations will be more positive.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, The Unused Path: Skills for living an authentic life

“Our world is full of people who want to tell you how to live and what to think, and they become very dangerous when anyone says no to that.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“We’re thinking beings, Inspector. And any system, any government, or any philosophy that doesn’t encourage thought is doomed. Stagnation. Regression. Extinction.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“When an obstacle’s too tough, you don’t hit it head-on. If an object is truly immoveable, it’s also nailed to one place. Find a way around it.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“He spent his entire life looking for a jump-on-the-hand-grenade moment. I just never thought he’d pull the pin himself.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“When people write you off, that’s when you can really get things done.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“If it doesn’t work, she’ll leave him. In that case it would be nice if she had a safe place to go while she regroups. A father who made it clear when she left she could always come back.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“The AIs constantly gather data, especially on humanity. They make some of their biggest decisions based on observed human behavior, both good and bad.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“Take people, make ‘em go to the same place every day, and have ‘em do the same meaningless things. Now that oughtta be a crime.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“They don't think you're dumb. They're afraid you're smart.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“I know who I am. I want to know who I was supposed to be.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“I didn't get to hear the rest, as the skipper poked a red, peeling face out of the wheelhouse and told Billy Lee to get back to work or he wasn't getting paid. The guy looked to be a hundred years old and four feet tall, but when he opened his mouth, even I jumped.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, Reduced Circumstances

“Armand Fouche. Violent anti-contentment criminal.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, A Pause in the Perpetual Rotation

“When you have character, you hold yourself accountable to yourself.”
― Vincent H. O'Neil, The Unused Path: Skills for living an authentic life