You only ask people about themselves so you can tell them about yourself.

Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.

With a book, you're guaranteed the audience has a certain skill level and that the audience has to make an ongoing effort to consume this product and that the project is being consumed by just one person at a time. I really want to play to that strength because it's one of the few advantages books still have.

And if you can find any way out of our culture, then that's a trap too. Just wanting to get out of the trap reinforces the trap.

They placed their bets with such self righteous bravado, but I’m the one who lost.

You can tell people the truth, but they'll never believe you until the event. In the meantime, the truth will just piss them off and get you in a lot of trouble.