Robert A. Heinlein Quotes

A man never tells you anything until you contradict him.

If you're yelling you're the one who's lost control of the conversation.

I just want to fight and not talk too much.

As we ride the elevator Gale finally says “You're still angry.” “And you're still not sorry,” I reply. "I will stand by what I said. Do you want me to lie about it?” he asks. “No, I want you to rethink it and come up with the right opinion,” I tell him.

Suckers try to win arguments, nonsuckers try to win.

Remember, it takes two to make an argument. The one who is wrong is the one who will be doing most of the talking.

I love having that creative discussion where, at the end of the day, you both feel better for having done it. Maybe it's a typically Jewish thing, where you sort of go at each other.

I have a talent for dealing with difficult men.

We can calm down our argument a little so that we can learn what it is that we are actually arguing about.

In politics, you must learn to say 'no' without offending people. That is an art that one must master: to satisfy a person even when you have to say 'no' to him.

I think it's important to have conversation about things instead of shutting things down.

I like plays where people talk a lot. Conversation is sustained. Argument is sustained.

I think what I learned is that just because somebody says you can't talk to them or just because somebody says they don't have an answer for you, you don't stop.

Speaking is the one trait in which woman is superior to man. Consider what happens when a couple argues. The man tries to talk to the woman. The stupid fool - he can never win.

When I have one-on-ones, I usually win those.

I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.

There’s no use saying anything in the schoolyard because there’s always someone with an answer and there’s nothing you can do but punch them in the nose and if you were to punch everyone who has an answer you’d be punching morning noon and night.

That's pretty much what every scene is about, getting people to see your point of view. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

Argument, as usually managed, is the worst sort of conversation, as it is generally in books the worst sort of reading.

Debate is the death of conversation.

I just think people overvalue argument because they like to hear themselves talk.

The best way to have the last word is to apologize.

In our home we have a rule: You can disagree with a man's position as much as you want - after you have been able to state it to his satisfaction.

Listen, Patch, I don’t want to be rude, but—” “Sure you do.” “Well, you started it!” Lovely. Very mature.

Argument is the worst sort of conversation.