“Nuclear weapons were invented out of fear. The United States was afraid that Hitler was developing an atomic weapon, and they had to get one to deter him from ever using it. When the U.S. Manhattan Project that built the bomb began, no-one ever thought we would use a weapon like this; it was considered beyond the pale—a weapon that would indiscriminately kill hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.”— Joseph Cirincione
The quote archive
A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.
Most people misunderstand what a negotiation is. In my experience, it's simply a conversation with a purpose. We tend to rush to problem-solving, eager to reach the solution, often leapfrogging several important steps. But to get the best possible deal for everyone, it starts with the right mindset.
— Scott WalkerWisconsin Governor and 2016 Presidential Candidate
I think it's that dynamic of information coming from your trusted peer. This has always been the source of the most trusted information. Your reinforcement is coming from people that you like, people that you trust. And you're shaping and having that discussion amongst yourselves.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
Social media really orients us around our identity and our interests because of the way those connections are formed. It's going to suggest people for you to follow, groups for you to join, and so it slots you according to what you're most likely to be interested in based on your individual and group identity.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
The rumour is often significantly more interesting than the facts. And the rumour is often very persuasive to the people who've heard it; they've heard it from somebody they trust. When the target says, 'No, that's not true,' the audience says, 'Oh, of course he or she would deny it,' and so it really puts the target at a disadvantage.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
Rumours are unofficial information that passes from person to person. People share rumours because it makes them more part of their community. It's very pro-social. You hear something that sounds interesting—it piques your interest—you share it with your neighbour: 'Hey, did you hear…?' This is just a social behaviour that people have done in groups forever; it's just part of human society.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
The idea that you will sit down with someone who's had 30 or 40 years of lived experience and then somehow get them to change their mind in one sitting is implausible.
— Karthik RamannaWhat you might think of as a cognitive response is really a product of the lived experiences you bring to the table. You might think of them as irrational, but in their analysis, it may be you who is irrational.
— Karthik RamannaJust as you wouldn't want a surgeon to go from one operating theater to the next without having washed their hands, you don't want a manager to go from one context to the next without being in a position where they can actually do some good—or at least do no harm.
— Karthik RamannaWhen we have the vocabulary to describe our feelings, we can create a mental model in our brains around our experiences. I'm feeling anxious because I'm uncertain about the outcome.
— Marc BrackettPsychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
We have an emotion categorization for a reason. Anger is about injustice, disappointment is about unmet expectations, and when you feel pride, it's because you've achieved some kind of goal you've been working hard for.
— Marc BrackettPsychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Be a curious explorer of other people's emotions. Don't approach people as if you know how they're feeling. We often make mistakes when reading other people's emotions because we bring in our own cultural values and belief systems.
— Marc BrackettPsychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
It's awareness that leads to regulation—that's why it's information. Because it's giving us information about how we're feeling and what we need to do about those feelings.
— Marc BrackettPsychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
So emotional intelligence says no, that's incorrect. We used to see emotions as weak because when we think about feelings, we don't think about joy and contentment; we think about anger, anxiety, and depression. Most people think of those as bad feelings that we want to ignore, suppress, or deny.
— Marc BrackettPsychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Nature has evolved the human race for individuals to be very different from each other. Half of us are thinkers, and we proceed according to the facts. The other half of us are feelers. Nature says you need both kinds of people to push humanity forward.
— Baron Jon MoynihanEach of us needs a space to think deeply. The best space to think combines the comfort of paper and the advantages of digital technology—in a focused, distraction-free environment.
— Phil HessI want to set an example for this generation of war reporters, and for my generation as a whole, that you don't have to rely on drugs or alcohol to cope with traumatic experiences.
— Trey YingstFox News Correspondent and International Reporter