H.G. Wells

Science fiction pioneer

Modern influential 59 sayings

Sayings by H.G. Wells

History is a race between education and catastrophe.

1920 — From 'The Outline of History' (1920), a warning about societal progress.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The one thing that is worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.

Uncertain — A call for foresight and imagination.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The only way to be truly happy is to be truly free.

Uncertain — A statement on individual liberty, often balanced with his collectivist ideas.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The world is not a stage, but a laboratory.

Uncertain — Emphasizing experimentation and scientific inquiry.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Man is a creature of habit, and habit is a powerful force.

Uncertain — An observation on human psychology.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The future is a blank canvas, and we are the artists.

Uncertain — A more optimistic view of human agency in shaping destiny.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.

Uncertain — A strong endorsement of rational thought.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The world is full of wonders, but they are only visible to those who seek them.

Uncertain — A call for curiosity and exploration.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.

Uncertain — A Socratic sentiment, reflecting intellectual humility.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The universe is a strange and wonderful place, and we are but a small part of it.

Uncertain — Reflecting his cosmic perspective.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

Uncertain — A more active, empowering version of his future-oriented philosophy.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

There is no God but Man.

1917 — From 'God the Invisible King' (1917), expressing his humanist and atheistic views.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The world is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.

Uncertain — A more existentialist bent, perhaps contrasting with his problem-solving approach to society.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The only constant in life is change.

Uncertain — A common adage, but one that aligns perfectly with his evolutionary thinking.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Uncertain — Often attributed to Oscar Wilde, but variations of this sentiment appear in Wells's work.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The triumph of the human mind over the limitations of nature.

Uncertain — A core theme in his scientific romances.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The proper study of mankind is man.

Uncertain — A classical philosophical statement, echoing Pope, but used by Wells in his social critiques.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.

Uncertain — A call to action and responsibility.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The greatest invention of all time is the printing press.

Uncertain — Highlighting the importance of knowledge dissemination.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Uncertain — A common proverb, but one he might have used in his critiques of misguided idealism.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable