Dink, my boy, I'll be a millionaire in ten years. You know…
““Dink, my boy, I'll be a millionaire in ten years. You know what I'm figuring out all this time? I'm going at this scientifically. I'm figuring out the number of fools there are on the top of this globe, classifying 'em, looking out what they want to be fooled on. I'm making an exact science of it." "Go on," said Dink, amused and perplexed, for he was trying to distinguish the serious and the humorous. "What's the principle of a patent medicine?—advertise first, then concoct your medicine. All the science of Foolology is: first, find something all the fools love and enjoy, tell them it's wrong, hammer it into them, give them a substitute and sit back, chuckle, and shovel away the ducats. Bread's wrong, coffee's wrong, beer's wrong. Why, Dink, in the next twenty years all the fools will be feeding on substitutes for everything they want; no salt—denatured sugar—anti-tea—oiloline—peanut butter—whale's milk—et cetera, et ceteray, and blessing the name of the fool-master who fooled them.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker describes a cynical, systematic approach to exploiting people's gullibility by selling them false solutions, treating deception as a science.
In simple terms: Exploiting fools is portrayed as a calculated business.
Key Takeaway
Beware of manipulative tactics that promise quick fixes.
Themes
manipulation
exploitation
skepticism
Mood
cautious
critical
skeptical
Type
social commentary
warning
When to use this quote
- marketing
- politics
- consumer protection
- personal decisions
Key Concepts
economics
psychology
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What signs indicate a deceptive promise?
- How can societies protect against mass manipulation?
A Different Perspective
Such schemes can erode trust and cause widespread harm.