Quotes from Frank Herbert

There exists no separation between gods and men; one blends softly casual into the other.

A man's flesh is his own; the water belongs to the tribe.

Only gods can safely risk perfection ... it's a dangerous thing for a man.

Most men go through life unchallenged, except at the final moment.

The whole universe sat there, open to the man who could make the right decisions.

Men always fear things which move by themselves.

Give as few orders as possible," his father had told him once long ago. "Once you've given orders on a subject, you must always give orders on that subject.

If we define Futurism as an exploration beyond accepted limits, then the nature of limiting systems becomes the first object of exploration.

Nature does not make mistakes. Right and wrong are human categories.

Chance is the nature of our universe. [...] madness represents a chaotic reservoir of surprises. Some surprises can be valuable.

They say they seek security and quiet, the condition they call peace. Even as they speak they create the seeds of turmoil and violence.

Absolute power does not corrupt absolutely, absolute power attracts the corruptible.

Politics: the art of appearing candid and completely open while concealing as much as possible.

Blood is thicker than water, but politics are thicker than blood.

You can't build politics on love. People aren't concerned with love; it's too disordered. They prefer despotism. Too much freedom breeds chaos.

All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities.

The undeserving maintain power by promoting hysteria.

Here lies a toppled god. His fall was not a small one. We did but build his pedestal, A narrow and a tall one.

Ask what Infinity might produce and the only answer possible was, "Anything." Any good, any evil; any god, any devil.

The problem of leadership is inevitably: Who will play God?" Muad'Dib

I never thought it would be easy to serve God," she said. "I just didn't think it would be this hard.

Is evolution just another name for God?

Governments can be useful to the governed only so long as inherent tendencies toward tyranny are restrained.

Governments do not know what they cannot do until after they cease to be governments. Each government carries the seeds of its own destruction.