The idea that human kind can shape the world according to wish is what I call the fatal conceit
Friedrich August Von HayekRead
Even when you err, it is a thousand times better to err out of conviction than to hide your true opinion to respect some authority.
Interpretation
It's better to express your genuine beliefs, even if they're wrong, than to suppress them to please others.
This quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity and personal conviction in one’s beliefs and opinions. It suggests that making mistakes while being true to oneself is far more valuable than conforming to societal pressures or authority figures by hiding one’s true thoughts. By advocating for honesty and integrity, it promotes the idea that personal growth and understanding can arise from our errors and misunderstandings.
In practice
During a debate, you can quote this to emphasize the importance of standing by your beliefs.
The idea that human kind can shape the world according to wish is what I call the fatal conceit
Today Americans are overcome not by the sense of endless possibility but by the banality of the social order they have erected against it.
If one has got power, one must manifest it in action.
Remember that everyone's life is measured by the power that individual has to make the world better-this is all life is.
Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat an enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. Pleasant as it sounds; it is a fallacy that must be exposed: War is such a dangerous business that the mistakes which come from kindness are the very worst.
If machines do everything well, including allocating capital and resources efficiently, can that be deflationary, can that eliminate poverty? I don't know. It's hard to be very optimistic if you look at how humans have behaved historically.
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