Lins

Add friend
Sign in to Goodreads to learn more about Lins.

https://www.goodreads.com/l_morrigan

The Gales of Nove...
Rate this book
Clear rating

progress: 
 
  (page 116 of 430)
15 hours, 54 min ago

 
Loading...
Steven Pinker
“The media and intelligentsia were partly complicit in Trump's depiction of the world as a dystopia headed for even greater disaster. 'Charge the cockpit or you die!' cried the pro-Trump intellectual right. 'I'd rather see the empire burn to the ground under Trump, opening up at least the possibility of radical change, than cruise on autopilot under Clinton,' said the pro-Trump left. When people believe that the world is heading off a cliff, they are receptive to the perennial appeal of demagogues: 'What do you have to lose?'

But if the media and intellectuals put events into statistical and historical context, rather than constantly crying 'crisis,' they would make it clearer what the answer to that question is. Revolutionary regimes from Nazi Germany and Maoist China to contemporary Venezuela show that people have a tremendous amount to lose when a charismatic leader forces a radical personal vision on a society. A modern liberal democracy is a precious achievement. Until the messiah comes, it will always have problems, but it's better to solve problems than to start a conflagration and hope for the best.”
Steven Pinker

George Carlin
“People are wonderful. I love individuals. I hate groups of people. I hate a group of people with a 'common purpose'. 'Cause pretty soon they have little hats. And armbands. And fight songs. And a list of people they're going to visit at 3am. So, I dislike and despise groups of people but I love individuals. Every person you look at; you can see the universe in their eyes, if you're really looking.”
George Carlin

Thomas  Harris
“Crawford was home for a month from the hospital, the chest pains came again in the night. Instead of calling an ambulance and going through it all again, he chose simply to roll over to the solace of his late wife’s side of the bed.”
Thomas Harris, Hannibal

Haruki Murakami
“But utopias don't exist, of course, anywhere in any world. Like alchemy or perpetual motion.”
Haruki Murakami, 1Q84

Salman Rushdie
“When...did it become irrational to dislike religion, any religion, even to dislike it vehemently? When did reason get redescribed as unreason? When were the fairy stories of the superstitious placed above criticism, beyond satire? A religion was not a race. It was an idea, and ideas stood (or fell) because they were strong enough (or too weak) to withstand criticism, not because they were shielded from it. Strong ideas welcomed dissent.”
Salman Rushdie, Joseph Anton: A Memoir

year in books
Joe DeR...
370 books | 1,028 friends

Sarah
853 books | 159 friends

Geddy I...
1,565 books | 73 friends

Stephanie
107 books | 75 friends

Christo...
283 books | 36 friends

Brandon
9 books | 48 friends

Tammy
23 books | 172 friends

J.J.M. ...
47 books | 216 friends

More friends…


Polls voted on by Lins

Lists liked by Lins