An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (The Carls, #1)

by Hank Green

“Behold the field in which I grow my fucks. Lay thine eyes upon it and see that it is barren.”

Being annoyed by carefully crafted internet personas was part of my carefully crafted internet persona.

The power that each of us has over complete strangers to make them feel terrible and frightened and weak is amazing.

Much of the best art is about balancing between reflecting culture while simultaneously being removed from it and commenting on it.

“When you’re faced with something you don’t understand, I think the most natural thing but also the least interesting thing you can be is afraid,”

Most power just looks like an easier-than-average life. It’s so built-in that people mostly don’t realize how powerful they are. Like, the average middle-class person in the US is one of the 3 percent richest people in the world. Thus, they’re probably one of the most powerful people in the world. But, to them, they feel completely average.

You can only do so much pretending before you become the thing you’re pretending to be.

Knowing something is a bad idea does not always decrease the odds that you will do it.

Basically, do your best to mock and deride their connection to and appreciation of you because, deep down, you dislike yourself enough that you cannot imagine anyone worthwhile actually wanting to be with you. I mean, if they like you, there must be something wrong with them, right?