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A purpose can be larger than a man. Even if the man dies, the purpose can become a cause. If it holds on long enough, it will grow into a belief and then a religion. This is how gods are made. It starts with a purpose that others don’t understand.
The real power of a trick is its mystery. If you reveal all your mysteries, perhaps because you think it will make people like you, the power is gone and you’re back to being just as normal as them. It’s
Inefficiency is the creeping death of bureaucracy and accountability. It’s what brought the Roman Empire down. While they were filing reports, the barbarians were storming the gates. You can bet at least one senator demanded a census of the number of invaders before he decided whether or not to support repelling them.”
We have this strange desire for symmetry. Humans are pattern seekers. We’re designed by nature to get a little buzz every time something connects in a novel way. It’s why we play Sudoku, enjoy simple video games, and watch TV shows with different characters but the same plots. We love patterns. Even dark patterns.
“You know the difference between a comedian and a magician?” “What’s that?” he asks. “A comedian waits for the laughter and applause to die down before moving on to his next bit. A magician uses it as a distraction to start his next one. I think we’re very distracted.”
