RAH’s libertarian (NOT fascist, read a fricking poli sci book, Bagkitty!)views have helped form my own political worldview. His tolerant view of human sexuality, and that homosexuality was just one shade of the human sexual spectrum, made one gay teenage science fiction fan feel a bit better about himself.
Great thread, Fenris!
Damn, I hate coming late to a Heinlein thread–all the good stuff is taken already.
I can’t quite pin down where I came up with each of these, and I’ve phrased them more awkwardly that RAH ever would have, but this is what I think of when I think of Heinlein:
When dealing with a harmless fool, grit your teeth and smile. There are too many fools in the world to waste energy on each one–besides, shouting at an idiot is undignified. The moment a fool insults a loved one, incites others to his stupidity, or threatens another living soul, deliver a swift kick, preferably in the direction of the door.
The real trick in life is finding a few like-minded individuals. You won’t find them easily. The loud ones are childish “rebels” who crave conflict, not love and thoughtful companionship. Those destined to be true friends are quietly living their lives on their own terms-- but if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll know them when you find them.
There is no good reason to believe in God–but there are a a hell of a lot of bad reasons.
When you find that everyone seems to agree with you, it’s time to seriously re-examine your beliefs.
Life is a struggle. To be truly alive, you must grapple with something meaningful, whether you’re trying to better yourself or society–or just trying to survive.
Another influenced-by-Heinlein-during-callow-youth person checking in here…
It wasn’t till reading Fenris’s and Theobrome’s quote of Heinlein’s ‘Required Skills of a Real Human Being’ that I realised: that’s what I’ve been unconsciously trying to live up to all these years.
And it took Hamadryad’s recounting of her feelings to cause me to wonder… maybe there’s been some of that failure-to-measure-up feeling in my life too. It seemed during high school and later that I, being beset with problems and insecurities and a lack of physical and emotional skills, clearly lacked something as compared to a typical ultra-competent genius-level Henleinian protagonist. (And how I wished that I could meet his protagonists…)
Certainly much of my later life has been driven by an urge to Make Myself Better, to become a Real Human Being. And this struggle, this learning, goes on even now.
Whatever Heinlein’s works took from me in feelings of comparative inferiority, they more than repaid to me in other ways. They opened my eyes to a universe of wonder. They showed me that tolerance and diversity were not just dreams of the naive, but were tough enough to withstand the politics and crises of the Real World. They praised technical competence in a time when it seemed that political connections alone led to success, while never denying the existence, usefulness, and even importance, of those connections. They showed me that ‘smart’ could be ‘sexy’ and ‘successful’.
And I know I’m not the only one that his works liberated…
He’s also one of all too few writers who Gets It Right with his science. Burn as much of your fuel as you can as close to a planet as you can. When you’re thousands of miles above your enemies, drop rocks on them. It’s possible to survive exposure to vacuum, just not for long or comfortably. Any FTL drive is a time machine. If a man gets a crack in his helmet on a moonwalk, first aid entails a shovel and a eulogy. The hotter your jet, the more efficient it is.
And that’s just from his fiction.
Yet another one checking in…
That being competent is the most worthy thing. Or…if you’re going to do something…do it right
That if you feel strongly about an issue the proper thing to do is to attempt to make it happen. Don’t wait for some other person to lead you to the promised land.
That, given a chance, people will attempt to oppress you, economically, militarily, socially (the most insidious of all), or governmentally. Be on the lookout and be ready to fight back
That most of life is illusion. I don’t need my house…or my car…or any possession…or my job. But I do need my wife and child. If I boil it down they’re all that counts.
That all humans have a certain inherent dignity. Find yours and respect it. And while you’re at it…respect others.
Only count on luck when you have no choice. Given any opportunity to tilt the odds…do so.
Life will not be fair. Don’t whine about it. Work with it. It’s not fair for the other guy, too.
I have always felt that “The Man Who Travelled in Elephants” would make a perfect Hallmark Special. (That is the Hallmark Card’s special, not the big effect abominations from the other Hallmark.)
It would be a perfect show now as a gentle celebration of America, though (SPOILER SPACE)
Making Heaven the US of A is a bit much.
Heinlein had a huge impact on me. My mother got me started reading his books. He was one of her authors, one of those that, because of her influence, I’ve come to think of as “modern classics.” She also gave me Richard Bach and Tom Robbins books to read at around the same time. For good or ill, they all helped shape my ideals, and the person I am today.
Heinlein was a sentimental pragmatist. He taught me about priorities. And all that stuff the rest of you said, too. 
“Always be able to find your clothes and weapons in the dark” has come in handy on more than one occasion.
Women who shave their pubic hair have a deep interest in recreational sex.
lol. That may be the defining moment of your speaking career grok 
. Such a profound statement, can it be matched?
“When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!”
Hrmmmm - interesting combination - can I substitute Ayn Rand for Tom Robbins?
All 3 authors (tho I haven’t read Bach in a long time) take a while to “wear off” after reading - of the 3 Heinlein is my favorite, for the stories & the philosophy behind the stories.
What have I learned?
Besides what others have mentioned…
That sharing talking animals (in our case stuffed vs. imaginary) isn’t so weird after all…
Pain shared is pain diminished - joy shared is joy increased. (oops - that’s Spider Robinson - another of my fave authors)
I haven’t read any of his stuff for years, but I remember when I was younger and I just ached to have a new Heinlein book. Even TNotB. <Gasp!> But all of the above things, especially the self reliance…
TANSTAAFL, baby. Also, from Podkayne of Mars, to learn to say thank you in as many languages as you can. Or at least, in the language of wherever you plan on going. I never looked at the American Revolution the same after reading the Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which I recommend to everybody I meet. Makes me cry every time I read it. Also, every place you go has its own danger, but most of it is what you bring with you. (Stobor! Oh no!)
Great thread!
Tenebras
Incest is best,
Put your mother to the test.
(Guess what I finished reading today?)
You just finished Time Enough For Love?? An educated guess, as I re-read that (for the tenth time?) about 3 weeks ago…
I learned a LOT from reading RAH, not the least of which is where Podkayne got her username!
My co-writer, TTT, and I just finished writing a dictionary of idioms, and you’d better believe that TANSTAAFL is in it!!! (I insisted, even though TTT had never heard of it… Philistine!* *Pa-toooie!**)
You got it, Astroboy! You win a year’s supply of Turtle Wax and a nekkid picture of Lazarus Long.
“Never argue with the weather.”
The world’s problems could be solved if only people had lots more sex.
I later found out that (2) is incorrect.
Alright, I have to comment:
1.) I LOVE Heinlein’s writing. He knows his science, he knows how to write, how to do characterization and dialogue, how to move a story along, how to make a paradigm shift seem real.
2.) I don’t know if I learned anything from him, aside from keeping an open mind and keeping on your toes. And lots of different ways to build a government.
3.) Heinlein’s women are weird creatures. Yes, they’re competent and capable – even super-competent and super capable in many case – but they don’t ring true. And before you start on it, yes, I have read Spider Robinson’s essay Rah! Rah! R.A.H.. Heinlein couldn’t or wouldn’t write real women, and I think that’s why he’s not as popular with women as with men. (Pepper Mill is a big SF fan, but she doesn’t read Heinlein.)
4.) Considering how often Heinlein women seem to want to get pregnant, isn’t it a little odd that Heinlein never had any children in either of his marriages?
Yeah, yeah, okay, CalMeacham, it’s true. Heinlein’s chicks are a bunch of nymphomaniacal geniuses…but at least he likes his bimbos brainy!
Grok and Podkayne, I was wondering when you’d show up! By the way, Pod, I just typed the following on a label and stuck in on the back of my badge at work:
Is that a direct Heinlein quote? Where is it from? On the back of my badge I credited you. Must have flipped the badge around and looked at it ten times last night. You know, it really helps.
(Slight hijack)Yondan: you thought Sheri S. Tepper was AFFIRMING?? I had to stop reading her books because she was so brutal and bloodthirsty! I was getting nightmares… And that idea of hers to get the siamese twins of different genders? Geez… (/slight hijack)
Tenebras–the stobor drove me insane. I noticed the first time they were mentioned that “stobor” is “robots” backwards. Spent the whole book waiting for the robots to show up. (groan)
That would be a Podkayne Original[sup]TM[/sup]. Glad you find it useful. Perhaps I’ll include that in my book of Heinlein-inspired bromides, Valentine-Michael-Smith Soup for the Soul.