The limitations we impose on ourselves by restricting information are far greater than any advantage others could gain.

— George Dyson, Turing’s Cathedral

…most advertising is immoral because most of it is sophistry, sophistry is generally wrong, and the circumstances of the production of this sophistry are unexceptional.

— Anja Publications, Philosophy Now

…it’s still much better to have billions of chronically annoyed customers than millions of happy ones.

— Neal Stephenson, In the Beginning…Was the Command Line

Every age, every culture, every custom and tradition has its own character, its own weakness and its own strength, its beauties and ugliness; accepts certain sufferings as matters of course, puts up patiently with certain evils. Human life is reduced to real suffering, to hell, only when two ages, two cultures and religions overlap.

— Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf

A list of the ways in which we’re stupid can’t explain why we’re so smart: smart enough to have discovered the laws of nature, transformed the planet, lengthened and enriched our lives, and, not least, articulated the rules of rationality that we so often flout.

— Steven Pinker, Rationality