John W. Campbell Quotes

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

— John W. Campbell

“Never accept the initial premise of the opposition.”

— 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

“Generally, a desirable, practically attainable idea, suggested in prophecy, has a chance of forcing itself into reality by its very existence.”

— 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 fine of fifty dollars and a jail sentence ... Our ignorance was the greatest hold the South had on us. We knew we could run away, but what then?”

— John W. Campbell

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

— John W. Campbell

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

— 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

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

— 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

Man studied birds for centuries, trying to learn how to make a machine to fly like them. He never did do the trick; his final success came when he broke away entirely and tried new methods.

— 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 the task of making it one, so they can be sacred cowherds.”

— John W. Campbell