“The second requirement of a virus-friendly environment – that it should obey a program of coded instructions – is again only quantitatively less true for brains than for cells or computers. We sometimes obey orders from one another, but also we sometimes don't. Nevertheless, it is a telling fact that, the world over, the vast majority of children follow the religion of their parents rather than any of the other available religions. Instructions to genuflect, to bow towards Mecca, to nod one's head rhythmically towards the wall, to shake like a maniac, to "speak in tongues" – the list of such arbitrary and pointless motor patterns offered by religion alone is extensive – are obeyed, if not slavishly, at least with some reasonably high statistical probability.”

Vor allen Dingen soll man nie vergessen, daß die Gesellschaft lieber unterhalten, als unterrichtet sein will.
Variant translation: Above all, we should never forget that society would prefer to be entertained, than taught.
Über den Umgang mit Menschen (1788)

982a.15, W. Ross, trans., The Basic Works of Aristotle (2001), p. 691.
Metaphysics

The Kitáb-I-Asmá

Source: The Dance: Moving To the Rhythms of Your True Self

Source: Vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) (1863), Ch. 5.

[The Goals Program. How to Stay Motivated, Volume III, chapter 5, Zig Ziglar]
Attributed

As quoted in http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_salvation.html

1980s, GNU Manifesto (1985)