But even the Four Horsemen of Kidporn, Dope Dealers, Mafia and Terrorists don't worry me as much as totalitarian governments. It's been a long century, and we've had enough of them.
Bruce SterlingIf politics and business fail us, of course the military will be called in. In the developing world, the massive and repeated ecological disasters are quite commonly met by the military.
Bruce SterlingPolitical people don't solve stuff - not really. Political people are like guys in pop music.
Bruce SterlingWar as Napoleon knew it just not possible any more. However, we're very unlikely to accept or recognize "world peace" even when we get it.
Bruce SterlingEvery passing year brings us more past futures. Here in Europe they had a Dark Age so extensive, radical and obliterative that everyone forgot how to speak Latin. It's counterproductive to blither on about "the" future. It's always somebody's future, and we're not who we used to be.
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