“Today's world has very mediocre leadership. Heads of state and government do not call each other out! You rarely- if ever- hear world leaders calling out Xi Jinping on the treatment of the Uighur people, for example.”
— Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
UN Human Rights Chief & International Justice Advocate

The quote archive

Psychology

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

We can expand our circle of sympathy – we can employ the logic of impartiality, and the emotional prompts of human contact and vicarious experience, and expand our fellow-feeling from our family to our clan, our nation, tribe, and from there to all of humanity and even other sentient beings.

— Steven Pinker

Cognitive Scientist & Psychologist Known for Research on Language and Human Nature

Our capacity to reason is recursive, combinatorial – we can reason about our reason – we can argue, criticise and develop tools that enhance our reason thanks to language and communication. We have the power to build on our reason, to enhance it.

— Steven Pinker

Cognitive Scientist & Psychologist Known for Research on Language and Human Nature

I cannot argue that my own interests are special simply because I'm me and you're not and expect that you will take me seriously. The nature of logic forces us to cede our own pre-eminence, because there is nothing in the pronoun 'you' or 'he' or 'she' which confers some special status.

— Steven Pinker

Cognitive Scientist & Psychologist Known for Research on Language and Human Nature

There has never been a time at which Enlightenment values predominated in any culture. They have always faced pushback from forces that are embedded in human nature – tribalism, deference to authority, magical thinking, vulnerability to cognitive illusions and biases.

— Steven Pinker

Cognitive Scientist & Psychologist Known for Research on Language and Human Nature

All you've got to do is- to their face- call yourself every name that they are harbouring about you, it's that simple; it means you're demonstrating understanding. The thing is, it may sound easy- but it's hard to do- but if you can do it- it can unlock a situation in a heartbeat.

— Chris Voss

Former FBI Hostage Negotiator & Author of "Never Split the Difference

Mirroring is a crazy skill, it's so insanely effective. Just repeating the last 3 words of what someone said or picking out 1-3 words from the middle of the statement, can get you the outcome you need. Using mirroring, you feel like you can work Jedi mind tricks!

— Chris Voss

Former FBI Hostage Negotiator & Author of "Never Split the Difference

Fundamentally; negotiation is about gathering information and processing it to be able to exert influence on an outcome. The best negotiators can do this in real-time through communication.

— Chris Voss

Former FBI Hostage Negotiator & Author of "Never Split the Difference

An actor who isn't acting becomes a sort of non-person. If you're not acting, what are you?

— Sam Neill

Actor best known for Jurassic Park and The Piano films

There's also a danger in acting of identifying yourself as an actor. We have to try to identify ourselves as human beings first, and our jobs second. I'm Sam, I act sometimes… not I am Sam, I am an actor.

— Sam Neill

Actor best known for Jurassic Park and The Piano films

When social distrust mounts- when people feel like the game is rigged against them- they are especially vulnerable to demagogues who come along and want them to channel their rage, anxiety and distrust toward scapegoats.

— Robert Reich

Labor Secretary & Economist; Leading Voice on Inequality

The hardest part of the job is telling those players that they are not playing, I remember from my playing days how that felt. This is when compassion is an important tool as well.

— Carlo Ancelotti

Legendary football manager with multiple Champions League titles

I wish I had known that Football is the most important part of the least important parts of my life. A bad result or losing in a final of the champions League is hard to take, but there are worse things to endure in life.

— Carlo Ancelotti

Legendary football manager with multiple Champions League titles

Failure is an important tool with which one can reassess and reconstruct an idea or process, it is an essential element of the feedback loop. Failure should be used to step back and question your method and weaknesses. To recognize failure early can ultimately make one much stronger down the road.

— Carlo Ancelotti

Legendary football manager with multiple Champions League titles

Inside each of us are monsters and angels- there are no divisions between good and bad people- and I've seen how those times of insecurity can make us do terrible things to each other.

— Jacqueline Novogratz

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

Those who have the most meaningful, purpose filled lives tend to dream so big – that those dreams will rarely be completed in a lifetime. What keeps you going is the beauty you encounter at every juncture of the path.

— Jacqueline Novogratz

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

I've sat by all the infinity pools I need and I don't have a single memory of sitting by one.. Luxury is also kind of gross to me now.

— Sophia Amoruso

Founder of Nasty Gal & Author of "#GIRLBOSS