New Quotes... The Star Beast by Robert A. Heinlein

So I just finished the book 'The Star Beast' by Robert A. Heinlein and I found a couple of quotes in there that I thought were pretty timely given the upcoming elections.
I'm not necessarily saying that this is the way I feel about our current situation in this country, but I just found them to be an interesting view of things in relation to where we are today, especially since the book was written about 30 years ago now.

The book itself is about friendship. In this case between a boy and his 'pet' alien, that has been in his family for over 5 generations - the term 'pet' gets used and twisted around depending on which character's perspective is being referenced at any given time in the book, but ultimately it is about the friendship (and a little beyond that) that the 2 main characters share. It also explores the layers of people surrounding these 2 characters and how they deal with what for some people support and for others do not understand.

When the 'Star Beast's' race come to claim it, it causes a great conflict that surround these 2 characters and the decisions they make, could either jeopardize their friendship and their ability to stay together, or the future of the human race and earth.

It was a fast and easy read with a lot of charm and heart.

Anyway, enough with my blabbing, here are the quotes...

"The commonest weakness of our race is our ability to rationalize our most selfish purposes."

"We have managed to keep a jury-rigged republican form of government and to maintain democratic customs. We can be proud of that. But it is not now a real democracy and it can't be. I conceive it to be our duty to hold this society together while it adjusts to a strange and terrifying world."