Jack McDevitt - Chindi (2002)

13 Sourced Quotes

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One could not always put safety up front as the prime goal. Do that, and who would ever achieve anything of note?

Jack McDevitt
So long as you believe in some truth you do not believe in yourself. You are a servant. A man of faith.

Jack McDevitt
The man was either foolish or fearless. Assuming there was a difference.

Jack McDevitt
Alyx, she said, you're going to be a legend.
I already am, Captain, she said.

Jack McDevitt
Embrace your life, find what it is that you love, and pursue it with all your soul. For if you do not, when you come to die, you will find that you have not lived.

Jack McDevitt
What would happen is that people like Geroge and Alyx would grow old and die chasing a dream. Although there were probably worse things to do with one's life.

Jack McDevitt
The Peacekeepers had a tradition that every problem had a solution. It was a nice slogan. Wasn't true, but it sounded good.

Jack McDevitt
One should always be skeptical. That's always been our problem. We have too many believers.
Believers in what?
In everything.

Jack McDevitt
Her experience had taught her that people who insisted on having others recognize their outstanding qualities usually didn't have any.

Jack McDevitt
Organized mayhem, Nick commented, seems to be the chief preoccupation of intelligent species everywhere.

Jack McDevitt
There'd been studies over the years supporting the proposition that groups composed exclusively of women usually made intelligent decisions, that exclusively male groups did a bit less well, and that mixed groups did most poorly of all, by a substantial margin. It appeared that, when women were present, testosterone got the upper hand and men took greater risks than they might otherwise. Correspondingly, women in the mixed group tended to revert to roles, becoming more passive, and going along with whatever misjudgment the males might perpetrate.

Jack McDevitt
There is nothing that overwhelms the senses quite like an unwelcome silence.

Jack McDevitt
People tend to believe that good fortune consists of equal parts talent, hard work, and sheer luck. It's hard to deny the roles of the latter two. As to talent, I would only say it consists primarily in finding the right moment to step in.

Jack McDevitt