society

Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking of them.

As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.

Hero worship is strongest when there is least regard for human freedom.

Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit:

There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.

There is nothing more or else to it, and there never has been, in any place or time.

…

The core proposition of anti-conservatism requires no supplementation and no exegesis. It is as sufficient as it is necessary. What you see is what you get:

The law cannot protect anyone unless it binds everyone; and it cannot bind anyone unless it protects everyone.

It’s my firm conviction, now more than ever, that the degree to which we are able and willing to struggle for ownership of our attention is the degree to which we are free.

If mankind suddenly became virtuous, thousands would starve.

One of the most realistic parts of Lord of the Rings is that almost no one wanted to get involved, until it was very nearly too late.

Money is everywhere but so is poetry. What we lack are the poets.

I can’t be everything to everyone. I kind of made peace with it years ago—that at this particular phase of my life, this is what I need and this is what I want. It’s also the reason why I’m very particular about who I spend my time with because I do believe that there are genuinely energy vampires and energy catalysts in humans.