# Quote — Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

> "I told you that 'juvenile delinquent' is a contradiction in terms. 'Delinquent' means 'failing in duty.' But duty is an adult virtue—indeed a juvenile becomes an adult when, and only when, he acquires a knowledge of duty and embraces it as dearer than the self-love he was born with. There never was, there cannot be a 'juvenile delinquent.' But for every juvenile criminal there are always one or more adult delinquents—people of mature years who either do not know their duty, or who, knowing it, fail."

- Author: [Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md)
- Book: [Starship Troopers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers.md)
- Page: 120
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers#Chapter_8) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers/i-told-you

## More from this book

> There was no god but the Lieutenant and SGT Jelal was his prophet.

p. 140 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers/there-was-no-god.md)

> Basic truths cannot change and once a man of insight expresses one of them it is never necessary, no matter how much the world changes, to reformulate them. This is immutable, true everywhere, throughout all time, for all men and all nations.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers/basic-truths-cannot.md)

> In a mixed ship, the last thing a trooper hears before a drop (maybe the last word he ever hears) is a woman's voice, wishing him luck. If you don't think this is important, you've probably resigned from the human race.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers/in-a-mixed.md)