“Perhaps I’m old and tired,” he continued, “but I always…

“Perhaps I’m old and tired,” he continued, “but I always think that the chances of finding out what really is going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say hang the sense of it and just keep yourself occupied.” —Slartibartfast

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (novel), Chapter 30

Other The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Quotes

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof was to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. - c. ? - View Quote Details on A common mistake that people make when trying to design…
“Er…” he said, “hello. Er, look, I’m sorry I’m a bit late. I’ve had the most ghastly time, all sorts of things cropping up at the last moment.”
He seemed nervous of the expectant awed hush. He cleared his throat.
“Er, how are we for time?” he said, “have I just got a min—”
And so the Universe ended. - View Quote Details on “Er…” he said, “hello. Er, look, I’m sorry I’m a…
The oracle hit himself on the thumb and began speaking in tongues. - The oracle as he is hammering a nail - View Quote Details on The oracle hit himself on the thumb and began speaking…
“Five to one against and falling…” she said, “four to one against and falling…three to one…two…one…probability factor of one to one…we have normality, I repeat we have normality.” She turned her microphone off – then turned it back on, with a slight smile and continued: “Anything you still can’t cope with is therefore your own problem.” –Trillian - View Quote Details on “Five to one against and falling…” she said, “four to…
Making it up?” said Marvin, swivelling his head in a parody of astonishment, “Why should I want to make anything up? Life’s bad enough as it is without wanting to invent any more of it. - View Quote Details on Making it up?” said Marvin, swivelling his head in a…
Concentrate,” hissed Zaphod, “on his name.”
“What is it?” asked Arthur.
“Zaphod Beeblebrox the Fourth.”
“What?”
“Zaphod Beeblebrox the Fourth. Concentrate!”
“The Fourth?”
“Yeah. Listen, I’m Zaphod Beeblebrox, my father was Zaphod Beeblebrox the Second, my grandfather Zaphod Beeblebrox the Third…”
“What?”
“There was an accident with a contraceptive and a time machine. Now concentrate! - View Quote Details on "What is it?"...">Concentrate,” hissed Zaphod, “on his name.”
“What is it?”…
Please do not be alarmed,” it said, “by anything you see or hear around you. You are bound to feel some initial ill effects as you have been rescued from certain death at an improbability level of two to the power two hundred and seventy-six thousand to one against – possibly much higher. We are now cruising at a level of two to the power of twenty-five thousand to one against and falling, and we will be restoring normality just as soon as we are sure of what is normal anyway. - View Quote Details on Please do not be alarmed,” it said, “by anything you…
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”
“Very deep,” said Arthur, “you should send that in to the Reader’s Digest. They’ve got a page for people like you. - View Quote Details on "Very deep,"...">Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”
“Very deep,”…
The protruding upper halves of the letters now appear, in the local language, to read “Go stick your head in a pig”, and are no longer illuminated, except at times of special celebration. - View Quote Details on The protruding upper halves of the letters now appear, in…
“[...] one’s never alone with a rubber duck.” —Captain of the Golgafrinchans - View Quote Details on “[...] one’s never alone with a rubber duck.” —Captain of…