What was the chain of thought that led to Jar Jar Binks? How did someone as experienced as George Lucas make such a mistake? - Paul Graham

The way to solve a politically charged problem is to ask what you'd do if it weren't politically charged, and then just do that.

"Many things people like, especially if they're young and ambitious, they like largely for the feeling of virtue in liking them. 99% of people reading Ulysses are thinking "I'm reading Ulysses" as they do it."

This was naturally a great incentive, and possibly indeed the main cause of the second big change, industrialization. A great deal has been written about the causes of the Industrial Revolution. But surely a necessary, if not sufficient, condition was that people who made fortunes be able to enjoy them in peace.