“People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it’s true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool.”
—Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander from the book “Wizard’s first rule” by Terry Goodkind.
In case this gives anyone the false impression that the Sword of Truth series is good, let me advise you: it isn’t. What starts out as a decent premise devolves into the most convoluted argument for Objectivism since Rand herself.
In case this gives anyone the false impression that the Sword of Truth series is good, let me advise you: it isn’t. What starts out as a decent premise devolves into the most convoluted argument for Objectivism since Rand herself.
I’d have to confirm that. It started out decent but I tired of the series a few books in.
At least the first book, is written nicely and tells a good traditional story as long as you don’t go any deeper into the meanings of it all, though it gets worse as the series goes on. I find the last book hilarious as the main character defeats the communists by first beating them in a game of American football. All in all, it’s actually decent, if a bit… Grim at times, if you only want a fantasy novel.
It could certainly be better, and a little less transparent, but it has some good, useable quotes.
This is a useful quote when one remembers to apply it to oneself. “You know how transparently full of shit everyone else is? Guess how stupid you are yourself.”
I’m a little confused by why people are downvoting the quote. That the book has other problems is not a reason to downvote a genuinely accurate and succinct quote.
“People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it’s true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool.” —Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander from the book “Wizard’s first rule” by Terry Goodkind.
In case this gives anyone the false impression that the Sword of Truth series is good, let me advise you: it isn’t. What starts out as a decent premise devolves into the most convoluted argument for Objectivism since Rand herself.
I didn’t notice the Objectivism, since the S&M and scat play drove me away first. The first book was enjoyable.
I’d have to confirm that. It started out decent but I tired of the series a few books in.
At least the first book, is written nicely and tells a good traditional story as long as you don’t go any deeper into the meanings of it all, though it gets worse as the series goes on. I find the last book hilarious as the main character defeats the communists by first beating them in a game of American football. All in all, it’s actually decent, if a bit… Grim at times, if you only want a fantasy novel.
It could certainly be better, and a little less transparent, but it has some good, useable quotes.
This is a useful quote when one remembers to apply it to oneself. “You know how transparently full of shit everyone else is? Guess how stupid you are yourself.”
See also http://lesswrong.com/lw/2ev/rationality_quotes_july_2010/28gb
I’m a little confused by why people are downvoting the quote. That the book has other problems is not a reason to downvote a genuinely accurate and succinct quote.