Edward Teller (1908–2003) Hungarian-American nuclear physicist
As quoted in Proceedings of the International Conference on Lasers '87 (1988) edited by F. J. Duarte, p. 1165
“Abstruse dullness is actually a much more effective shield than is secrecy. For the great disadvantage of secrecy is that it’s interesting.”
— David Foster Wallace, book The Pale King
Source: The Pale King
Last update June 3, 2021. History
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David Foster Wallace185
American fiction writer and essayist 1962–2008Related quotes
Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) British statesman and man of letters
15 January 1753
Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774)
“Secrecy is the first essential in affairs of state.”
Cardinal Richelieu (1585–1642) French clergyman, noble and statesman
“Maxims,” Testament Politique (1641)
Arthur C. Clarke A Time Odyssey
Source: 2000s and posthumous publications, A Time Odyssey, Sunstorm (2005), Chapter 9, “Lunar Descent” (p. 53)
“Real power begins where secrecy begins.”
Hannah Arendt book The Origins of Totalitarianism
Part 3, Ch. 12, § 1.
The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951)
“Secrecy as deep as this is past possibility without nonexistence as well.”
Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, known for his works of science fiction …
Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Second Foundation (1953), Chapter 1 “Two Men and the Mule”; in part I, “Search by the Mule” originally published as “Now You See It—” in Astounding (January 1948)
“Silence is not just about secrecy, Your Majesty. It is grief and it is shame.”
Melina Marchetta (1965) Australian teen writer
Source: Froi of the Exiles
Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) British philosopher, jurist, and social reformer
On Publicity http://books.google.com/books?id=AusJAAAAIAAJ&q="Secresy+is+an+instrument+of+conspiracy+it+ought+not+therefore+to+be+the+system+of+a+regular+government"&pg=PA315#v=onepage from The Works of Jeremy Bentham volume 2, part 2 (1839)