More Words to Live by

Who says naval officers can't be articulate? Ugly truths, no less true today than it was then, try as we may to sugarcoat them:

Captain Bligh on the Character of Mariners:

Now, this is a typical seaman, a half-witted, wife-beating, habitual drunkard. His whole life is spent evading and defying authority.

Captain Bligh on Discipline & Order:

Now don't mistake me. I'm not advising cruelty or brutality with no purpose. My point is that cruelty with purpose is not cruelty - it's efficiency. Then a man will never disobey once he's watched his mate's backbone laid bare. He'll see the flesh jump, hear the whistle of the whip for the rest of his life....

Captain Bligh on the Importance of Safe Sex:

It is a matter of supernatural indifference to me whether you contaminate the natives or the natives contaminate you. I have but one concern - our mission. Let one of you provoke an incident which endangers it and I shall cause that man to curse his mother for giving him birth.

Captain Bligh on Fraternization:

While our mission remains unfulfilled I'm not in any port, Mr. Fryer, I'm in command, where you may find one day it's always lonely. You see, command allows no intimacies. You can hardly expect unquestioning obedience from last night's partner in a debauch.