If poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world, science fiction writers are its court jesters. We are Wise Fools who can leap, caper, utter prophecies, and scratch ourselves in public. We can play with Big Ideas because the garish motley of our pulp origins make us seem harmless.
Bruce SterlingCompetence doesn't seem like a big deal until you are forced to realize that your own government has none.
Bruce SterlingPrivacy under what circumstance? Privacy at home under what circumstances? You have more privacy if everyone's illiterate, but you wouldn't really call that privacy. That's ignorance.
Bruce SterlingYou may be a geek. You may have geek written all over you. You should aim to be the geek they will never forget. Donโt aim to be civilized. Donโt hope that straight people will keep you on as some sort of pet. To hell with them, they put you here. You should realize what society has made of you and take full revenge. Get weird. Get way weird. Get dangerously weird. Get sophisticatedly thoroughly weird and donโt do it half way, put every ounce of your horse power into it. Have the artistic courage to realize your significance in culture.
Bruce Sterling