Writers are remembered for their best work, politicians for their worst mistakes, and businessmen are almost never remembered. - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

It seemed, wrote Machiavelli, that in the midst of murders and civil wars, our republic became stronger [and] its citizens infused with virtues. … A little bit of agitation gives resources to souls and what makes the species prosper isn’t peace, but freedom.

Being an economist is the least ethical profession, closer to charlatanism than any science.

In any profession, 90% of people are clueless but work by situational imitation, narrow mimicry & semi-conscious role-playing. Except social "science" and journalism where it is 99% and 100%, respectively.