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Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through.

—Jonathan Swift

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About Jonathan Swift

Portrait of Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, hence his common sobriquet, "Dean Swift".

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I am, and always have been, a revolutionary writer, because our laws make law impossible; our liberties destroy all freedom; our property is organized robbery; our morality is an impudent hypocrisy; our wisdom is administered by inexperienced or mal-experienced dupes, our power wielded by cowards and weaklings, and our honor false in all its points. I am an enemy of the existing order for good reasons.

—George Bernard Shaw

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power wisdom freedom writing law cowardice morality laws revolution honor order property
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If you look at history, even recent history, you see that there is indeed progress. … Over time, the cycle is clearly, generally upwards. And it doesn't happen by laws of nature. And it doesn't happen by social laws. … It happens as a result of hard work by dedicated people who are willing to look at problems honestly, to look at them without illusions, and to go to work chipping away at them, with no guarantee of success — in fact, with a need for a rather high tolerance for failure along the way, and plenty of disappointments.

—Noam Chomsky

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honesty history disappointment progress failure work laws illusions delusions resilience
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