“an object must be useful before being beautiful.”
— Philippe Starck
Renowned French Industrial Designer & Architect Known for Innovative Product Design

The quote archive

Justice

A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.

We don't currently have the accountability mechanisms in our digital life that we do in our physical life. Physical society has had tens of thousands of years to build cultures and norms, but we haven't yet figured out how this works online.

— Mitchell Baker

CEO and Chairwoman of Mozilla Foundation and Mozilla Corporation

There has been a pathetic failure of governments to invest in educating people about the rights that they hold and enjoy; I suspect because if people knew their rights, they would claim them and put the governments of the world under pressure.

— Kumi Naidoo

Environmental activist & former Executive Director of Greenpeace International

The sad reality is that if we tried to pass that declaration today, the UN General Assembly would fail to do so. Firstly, we don't have someone like Eleanor Roosevelt as an advocate for human rights, and where previously the US played a leadership role, Trump would no doubt block virtually every human rights pillar associated with the declaration.

— Kumi Naidoo

Environmental activist & former Executive Director of Greenpeace International

Individuality is my biggest fight, not #MeToo. People need to realise their own power, their own freedom, and their own ability to be better. My book Brave is not about #MeToo, but when I went on my first book tour – that was all people were asking me about; and once again, I had my narrative stolen – and I was portrayed as this figure, full of rage, because – perhaps – it's easier for people to not understand my narrative and write me off as angry, and that's a real shame.

— Rose McGowan

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

The world would be a different place today if we would find a way to really empower girls and women globally. It is the solution, and I'm definitely not the only person that thinks that.

— Whitney Wolfe Herd

Founder and CEO of dating app Bumble, feminist entrepreneur

I had this burning passion in me to prove to myself, and on behalf of other women, that if my voice was being stifled... and if I was being treated a certain way... that I had to stand up. What type of example would I set to other women and girls? I had to show that if you get knocked off the horse, you get right back up.

— Whitney Wolfe Herd

Founder and CEO of dating app Bumble, feminist entrepreneur

Sports taught me that, rather than be blind followers of rules, we need to constantly question them as to their purpose and validity and be bold enough to change them if they don't serve our value of fair play.

— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

NBA's All-Time Leading Scorer & Six-Time Champion

It's hard for people to defend democracy when it cannot defend them against social injustice.

— Ece Temelkuran

Turkish journalist, author, and political commentator known for critical writings on democracy

You can take a form of identity that's been historically associated with repression and hierarchy, and make it more egalitarian – that's what we've been trying to do with gender. Let me be clear, I'm not in favour of the abolition of gender, but I do think there's a lot of work we need to do in order to find more equality.

— Kwame Anthony Appiah

Philosopher, Cosmopolitanism Advocate & Princeton University Professor

To be a billionaire in America today is less a matter of merit than it is a matter of being at the right place at the right time, and being a beneficiary of a set of rules designed to benefit billionaires.

— Robert Reich

Labor Secretary & Economist; Leading Voice on Inequality

I'm constantly bemused when I hear about some amazing energy or agricultural company that is for profit, but works with low-income people and a non-profit leader says, 'you know Jacqueline, charging people who are poor is immoral…' – you know what else is immoral? 700 million people who have no electricity.

— Jacqueline Novogratz

Founder of Acumen Fund & social entrepreneur focused on global poverty alleviation

wrote a brilliant report about entry to the Bar and how professional structures historically operated to exclude swathes of people, not just based on ethnicity and 'race', but on gender, sexual orientation and a range of non-traditional backgrounds.

— David Neuberger

Countries that criminalise LGBT+ people are losing tourist revenue because LGBT+ tourists and their straight friends and families won't go to such countries. There is also a very significant brain-drain from countries that victimise LGBT+ people.

— Peter Tatchell

Human rights activist & campaigner for LGBTQ+ equality and justice

Backlash is sadly an intrinsic part of social progress. When oppressed people make their claim for justice, they trigger a response – a fightback by those who want to maintain the status-quo.

— Peter Tatchell

Human rights activist & campaigner for LGBTQ+ equality and justice

Even today, there are 72 countries and jurisdictions where same-sex relations are criminal acts – punishable with penalties ranging from a few years in prison, to life imprisonment and even the death penalty.

— Peter Tatchell

Human rights activist & campaigner for LGBTQ+ equality and justice

LGBT+ identity came into existence as a defence mechanism against those who were attacking us. We were being targeted because of our sexual behavior and our love. We had to defend ourselves – that is why we claimed, and asserted our LGBT+ identity.

— Peter Tatchell

Human rights activist & campaigner for LGBTQ+ equality and justice