John McCarthy

Foolishness is rarely a matter of lack of intelligence or even lack of information.

Don't try to talk anyone out of concentrating his hatred on Ayn Rand or any other dead person. It can't harm the dead. Diverted to a living person, it might actually do harm.

Compassion is contempt with a human face.

Committing genocide on behalf of an institution generates greater loyalty to it than merely getting people fired from their jobs on its behalf.

Both politicians and journalists face situations which strain their honesty and humanity. My opinion is that politicians on the average stand up somewhat better than journalists.

Asking a critic to name his favorite book is like asking a butcher to name his favorite pig.

An extreme optimist is a man who believes that humanity will probably survive even if it doesn't take his advice.

An excessive knowledge of Marxism is a sign of a misspent youth.

Amateur bureaucrats are often even worse than professional bureaucrats.

Alas few socialists are either benevolent enough to work hard at these occupations out of benevolence or self-interested enough to work hard at them for money.

A true intellectual is a man who, after reading a book and being convinced by its arguments, will shoot someone or, more likely, order someone shot.

A declining institution often experiences survival of the unfittest.