For an idea that does not first seem insane, there is no hope.

I distrust every idea that doesn't seem obsolete and grotesque to my contemporaries.

That’s ridiculous,” or, “That seems like a totally dumb idea,” remind yourself that they might simply be asking, “Wait, what?” They might be asking for a deeper explanation. They may still disagree with you, but after hearing your explanation in full, they will unlikely think your idea is ridiculous or dumb.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm not saying it's a great idea. I just want to talk about this...I'm not going to pocket it; we're going to talk about it.

The idea was fantastically, wildly improbable. But like most fantastically, wildly improbable ideas it was at least as worthy of consideration as a more mundane one to which the facts had been strenuously bent to fit.

Yes, of course, the whole idea is utterly inane, but to let its predictable inanities blind you to its truly fabulous and breathtaking aspects is to do both oneself and the genre a disservice.

If you come up with a big new idea in our world and everyone says "Hey, that's great, definitely go ahead with that," then you know it's not a big new idea at all. Anything really new brings out all the reasons why it can't possibly work, and why it's crazy to even think about it.

If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.

Virtually no idea is too ridiculous to be accepted, even by very intelligent and highly educated people, if it provides a way for them to feel special and important. Some confuse that feeling with idealism.

I believe because it is absurd.

That’s absurd. This is real life, not some tabloid fantasy.

The less support an idea has,the more fervently it must be believed in, so that a totally preposterous idea requires unflinching faith.

It is a shame. A shame! If you believe this is a bad idea to provide health care — then vote no! But don't give me the cowardly view that "Oh, if it was a different procedure."

Let everyone else call your idea crazy . . . just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there, and don’t give much thought to where “there” is. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.