Fiction writing Quotes by John W. Campbell

That's the trouble with languages. They have to be learned.

— John W. Campbell

We presuppose two things: that there is yet to be learned infinitely more than is now known, and that man can learn it.

— John W. Campbell

History does not always repeat itself. Sometimes it just yells, 'Can't you remember anything I told you?' and lets fly with a club.

— John W. Campbell

Science is not a sacred cow-but there are a large number of would-be sacred cowherds busily devoting quantities of time, energy and effort to…

— John W. Campbell

It was the law that if a white man was caught trying to educate a Negro slave, he was liable to prosecution entailing a…

— John W. Campbell

Too darned good a machine can be a menace, not a help.

— John W. Campbell

Pioneering basically amounts to finding new and more horrible ways to die

— John W. Campbell

No literature is sound, no philosophy of action workable, if it doesn't take a hard look at itself.

— John W. Campbell

Never accept the initial premise of the opposition.

— John W. Campbell

There's nothing quite so stultifying as having someone around who has all the answers-and gives them to you.

— John W. Campbell

Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.

— John W. Campbell

Immunity corrupts; absolute immunity corrupts absolutely.

— John W. Campbell