How can you see the wave, when you’re the water? - Paul Graham

The easiest people to trick are those who want to believe something false.

Intolerance for ugliness is not in itself enough. You have to understand a field well before you develop a good nose for what needs fixing. You have to do your homework. But as you become expert in a field, you’ll start to hear little voices saying, What a hack! There must be a better way. Don’t ignore those voices. Cultivate them. The recipe for great work is: very exacting taste, plus the ability to gratify it.

Nerds aren't losers. They're just playing a different game, and a game much closer to the one played in the real world.