Interesting People

The following list does not include big-name people put forth by pop culture. There are no U.S. Presidents or other world leaders represented here; they are usually sources of the world's problems and rarely—if ever—sources of solutions. The following people offer insights and possible solutions.

Although welcome, members of major political parties or major religions of the world will find no refuge here. This is a page for anyone who is willing to, at least, attempt to use his brain. Fascists, communists, laissez-faire market proponents, and other hacks will probably not benefit from the ideas and attitudes on this page. People unencumbered by the chains of pop culture may find some ideas of interest here. If you are so inclined, take the ideas you like and build on them; if not, open another beer and continue getting your ideas from commercial television, commercial radio, commercial newspapers, and the Cosmic Muffin. You've been warned.

Warning: All hate mail will be forwarded to the proper authorities. I am quite serious about that. If you want to express yourself, create your own web site.

Interesting Quotes

“When nations grow old, the Arts grow cold,
And Commerce settles on every tree;”
—William Blake, “On Art and Artists”, 1800

A man said to the universe:
“Sir, I exist!”
“However,” replied the universe,
“The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation.”
—Steven Crane, “War Is Kind”, 1899

“Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override. … Therefore in a just society … the rights secured by justice are not subject to political bargaining or to the calculus of social interests.”
—John Rawls, “A Theory of Justice”, 1971

“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.”
—Anatole France, “The Red Lily”, 1894

“The optimist proclaims we live in the best of all possible worlds; the pessimist fears this is true.”
—James Branch Cabell, “The Silver Stallion”, 1926

“Man has been endowed with reason, with the power to create, so that he can add to what he's been given. But up to now he hasn't been a creator, only a destroyer. Forests keep disappearing, rivers dry up, wild life's become extinct, the climate's ruined and the land grows poorer and uglier every day.”
—Anton Chekhof, “Uncle Vanya”, 1897

“All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.”
—Joseph Conrad, “A Personal Record”, 1912

“Justice without strength is helpless, strength without justice is tyrannical. … thus being unable to make what is just strong, we have made what is strong just.”
—Blaise Pascal, “Pensées sur la Religion (Thoughts)”, 1670

“It is the job of thinking people not to be on the side of the executioners.”
—Albert Camus

The following quotes are offered in the spirit that we may learn as much from evil as from good:

“Fascism, which was not afraid to call itself reactionary … does not hesitate to call itself illiberal and anti-liberal.”
—Benito Mussolini

“… the broad masses of a nation … in the primitive simplicity of their minds [will] more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie.”
—Adolph Hitler, “Mein Kampf”, 1925

“I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace.”
—George W. Bush

“Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.”
—Dick Cheney, Speech to VFW National Convention, August 26, 2002

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
—George Orwell, the three slogans of the Party in “Nineteen Eighty-Four”, 1949