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Terry Pratchett

“I like the idea of democracy. You have to have someone everyone distrusts”

“I like the idea of democracy. You have to have someone everyone distrusts,” said Brutha. “That way, everyone’s happy.”

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Margaret Thatcher

if you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything

You know, if you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything, wouldn’t you, at any time? And you would achieve nothing!

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William Hazlitt

We are all of us more or less the slaves of opinion.

We are all of us more or less the slaves of opinion.

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Anthony Burgess

Men are influenced by big loud empty words

Men are influenced by big loud empty words, styes which swell the eyelids and impede vision of the truth.

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Carl Sagan

The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.

The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

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Johannes Kepler

I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.

I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.

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Broadcast News

I just risked my life for a network that tests my face with focus groups. I don’t feel good.

Aaron: I just risked my life for a network that tests my face with focus groups. I don’t feel good.

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Voltaire

Appreciation…makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

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Jane Austen

I do not write for such dull elves as have not a great deal of ingenuity themselves.

I do not write for such dull elves
As have not a great deal of ingenuity themselves.

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Abraham Lincoln P. T. Barnum

you cannot fool all the people all the time.

You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you cannot fool all the people all the time.