# Quote — Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination

> “Wait,” Foyle commanded. He looked at the beaming grin engraved in the steel robot face. “But society can be so stupid. So confused. You’ve witnessed this conference.”
>
> “Yes, sir, but you must teach, not dictate. You must teach society.”
>
> “To space-jaunte? Why? Why reach out to the stars and galaxies? What for?”
>
> “Because you’re alive, sir. You might as well ask: Why is life? Don’t ask about it. Live it.”
>
> “Quite mad,” Dagenham muttered.
>
> “But fascinating,” Y’ang-Yeovil murmured.
>
> “There’s got to be more to life than just living,” Foyle said to the robot.
>
> “Then find it for yourself, sir. Don’t ask the world to stop moving because you have doubts.”
>
> “Why can’t we all move forward together?”
>
> “Because you’re all different. You’re not lemmings. Some must lead, and hope that the rest will follow.”
>
> “Who leads?”
>
> “The men who must … driven men, compelled men.”
>
> “Freak men.”
>
> “You’re all freaks, sir. But you always have been freaks. Life is a freak. That’s its hope and glory.”
>
> “Thank you very much.”
>
> “My pleasure, sir.”

- Author: [Alfred Bester](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alfred-bester.md)
- Book: [The Stars My Destination](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alfred-bester/the-stars-my-destination.md)
- Page: 251
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alfred_Bester#The_Stars_My_Destination_(1956)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/alfred-bester/the-stars-my-destination/wait-foyle-commanded

## More from this book

> Yes, no matter how we defend ourselves against the outside we’re always licked by something from the inside. There’s no defense against betrayal, and we all betray ourselves.

p. 188 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alfred-bester/the-stars-my-destination/yes-no-matter.md)

> We always do what’s natural, only sometimes we shouldn’t do it.

p. 98 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alfred-bester/the-stars-my-destination/we-always-do-whats.md)

> The man who gives his own decisions priority over society is a criminal.

p. 221 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alfred-bester/the-stars-my-destination/the-man-who.md)