Joseph Heller Quotes

I feel like a lot of people would quite easily stab you in the back once they get what they want. And you see that in people.

To plunder, to lie, to show your ass, are the three essentials for climbing high.

If you do not know how to lie, cheat and steal, turn your attention to politics and learn.

There were also very great robberies and murder of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves

The chief of these [problems governing Korea] arise from the character of the Koreans. Many of them are crooked. They want "squeeze" from the Japanese and their own people. They are lazy.

Nearly everyone who chooses to work for Donald Trump is disreputable in one way or another; Ali Baba didn't find 40 wise men in the cave. But to label everyone in Trumpworld a grifter misses important subtleties. It conflates grifters and grafters, and it ignores the crucial distinction between the two.

At times, some journalists see nothing in the people apart from an opportunity to make material gain. They see them as consumers to whom we sell commodities at huge profits that keep our bank accounts growing.

Men are more often bribed by their loyalties and ambitions than by money.

Lust and greed are more gullible than innocence.

Once you start thinking about it in a mercenary frame of mind, then you're finished. You're a joke, because there are too many mercenaries out there already.

When money comes into play then that's all it's about wanting money, who's making the most who can get the most, me, me me... and in the end it screws up the person and the sport.

Corruption never has been compulsory.

Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done.

There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful.

All those men have their price.

Life is a racket. Writing is a racket. Sincerity is a racket. Everything's a racket.

Politics is never about the people. It's about money. And wars. And how many heads you can step on and bodies you can step over. And I'm just not that kind of person.

Meese was a sleaze.

Under every stone lurks a politician

A political career brings out the basest qualities in human nature.

No one can expect a majority to be stirred by motives other than ignoble.

… the most corrupt of all corrupt men.

Resist the temptation to exploit power for personal or group interests.

Ecclesiastical honors are either purchased for a set price, or seized by the hand of violence, or secured by nefarious actions, or acquired by sordid sycophancy. Occasionally even, they are the hire paid for panderism and similar services. In short, more shameless proceedings are exhibited here than ever occur in the acquisition of secular possessions.

It takes two to corrupt – the corrupted and the corrupter.