quotes

Morality and Ignorance in 2016

June 25, 2016

As we process the ramifications of the UK referendum to leave the EU and look to a contentious and possibly disastrous presidential election come November, my thoughts return to two quotes from Isaac Asimov.

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” Isaac Asimov

This thread has grown thicker in recent years, leading to our present state. We can change that, but to do so, we have to actively counter these forces. We have to fight ignorance, hatred and apathy. We have to educate and just as importantly, deny ignorance a platform.

Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right. Isaac Asimov

Our decisions matter, even when we don’t think they do:

Leave voter on BBC: "I'm shocked & worried. I voted Leave but didn't think my vote would count – I never thought it would actually happen."

— Laura Topham (@LauraTopham) June 24, 2016

We are in the future that we’ve created.

On Convergence and Features

April 25, 2012

Anything can be forced to converge, but the problem is about trade-offs, and you end up with trade-offs that don’t please anyone. You can converge a toaster and refrigerator, but the end result won’t be pleasing to the user.

Tim Cook

Every single person involved in product management or user experience should read this at the start of each day. It doesn’t matter if you’re working at a giant multinational or for yourself, this applies to every feature decision, large and small.

On Product Management

December 8, 2011

“You don’t know all the answers, but have to work with people who do.”

Marissa Mayer VP of many awesome things at Google.

The quote is from an interview on TechCrunch, which contains a few more interesting bits, including a couple of the questions she asks candidates.

Democracy and the Cult of Ignorance

November 30, 2011

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”

Isaac Asimov

Sadly, painfully true.

Found via Daring Fireball.