The dynamics of capitalism is postponement of enjoyment to the constantly postponed future.

The dynamics of capitalism is postponement of enjoyment to the constantly postponed future.

Based on first-hand evidence of your own senses - the improved health and later ages at which acquaintances die nowadays read more

Based on first-hand evidence of your own senses - the improved health and later ages at which acquaintances die nowadays as compared with the past; the material goods that we now possess; the speed at which information, entertainment, and we ourselves move freely throughout the world - it seems to me that a person must be literally deaf and blind not to perceive that humanity is in a much better state than ever before.

Don't try to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. It can't be done except by liars.

Don't try to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. It can't be done except by liars.

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.

Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell read more

Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don't go up, don't buy it.

The rich adopt novelties and become accustomed to their use. This sets a fashion which others imitate. Once the richer read more

The rich adopt novelties and become accustomed to their use. This sets a fashion which others imitate. Once the richer classes have adopted a certain way of living, producers have an incentive to improve the methods of manufacture so that soon it is possible for the poorer classes to follow suit. Thus luxury furthers progress. Innovation "is the whim of an elite before it becomes a need of the public. The luxury today is the necessity of tomorrow." Luxury is the roadmaker of progress: it develops latent needs and makes people discontented. In so far as they think consistently, moralists who condemn luxury must recommend the comparatively desireless existence of the wild life roaming in the woods as the ultimate ideal of civilized life.

Our whole evolution up to this point shows that human groups spontaneously evolve patterns of behavior, as well as patterns read more

Our whole evolution up to this point shows that human groups spontaneously evolve patterns of behavior, as well as patterns of training people for that behavior, which tend on balance to lead people to create rather than destroy. Humans are, on net balance, builders rather than destroyers.

I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not.

I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not.

Since man does not create physical matter, those who handle material objects in the production process are not producers in read more

Since man does not create physical matter, those who handle material objects in the production process are not producers in that sense. Economic benefits result from the transformation of matter in form, location, or availability (intellectually or temporally). It is these transformations that create economic benefits valued by consumers, and whoever arranges such transformations contributes to the value of things, whether his hands actually come into contact with physical objects or not.