Everyone by now presumably knows about the danger of premature optimization. I think we should be just as worried about premature design… — Paul Graham Copy Share Image
“In almost any group of people you’ll find hierarchy. When groups of adults form in the real world, it’s generally for some… — Paul Graham Common purpose Copy Share Image
“There are plenty of other ways to get money, including chance, speculation, marriage, inheritance, theft, extortion, fraud, monopoly, graft, lobbying, counterfeiting, and… — Paul Graham Corruption Copy Share Image
“You might find contradictory taboos. In one culture it might seem shocking to think x, while in another it was shocking not… — Paul Graham Copy Share Image
“At every period of history, people have believed things that were just ridiculous, and believed them so strongly that you risked ostracism… — Paul Graham Beliefs Copy Share Image
“Let's start with a test: Do you have any opinions that you would be reluctant to express in front of a group… — Paul Graham Copy Share Image
“To launch a taboo, a group has to be poised halfway between weakness and power. A confident group doesn’t need taboos to… — Paul Graham Taboo Copy Share Image
“Intellectual curiosity was not one of the motives on the FBI’s list. Indeed, the whole concept seemed foreign to them. Those in… — Paul Graham Cybersecurity Copy Share Image
“If I had a choice of living in a society where I was materially much better off than I am now, but… — Paul Graham Copy Share Image
“It's important for nerds to realize, too, that school is not life. School is a strange, artificial thing, half sterile and half… — Paul Graham Education Copy Share Image
“This is a good plan for life in general. If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide… — Paul Graham Copy Share Image
“Suppose you are a little, nimble guy being chased by a big, fat, bully. You open a door and find yourself in… — Paul Graham Bullying Copy Share Image
“Could civil liberties really be a cause, rather than just an effect? I think so. I think a society in which people… — Paul Graham Civil liberties Copy Share Image
“The government spying on people doesn’t literally make programmers write worse code. It just leads eventually to a world in which bad… — Paul Graham Bad idea Copy Share Image
