Sam Harris on liberty

You are not controlling the storm, and you are not lost in it. You are the storm.

Jesus Christ⁠—who, as it turns out, was born of a virgin, cheated death, and rose bodily into the heavens⁠—can now be eaten in the form of a cracker.

Consciousness is the one thing in this universe that cannot be an illusion.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

Thomas Jefferson1743–1826Letter to William Stephens Smith (13 November 1787). Manuscript at the Library of Congress.

• War & Peace

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin1706–1790This was first used by Franklin for the Pennsylvania Assembly in its “Reply to the Governor” (November 11, 1755) Reply to the Governor

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.

Benjamin Franklin1706–1790