I'm not interested in being pleasant or likeable; I aim to be truthful, and hopefully wise. If you're looking for vacuous pleasantries and platitudes, look elsewhere

It is human nature... to refuse to believe what seems monstrous and simply to close one's mind to it, however well-attested it may be. (Roman Imperialism in the Late Republic, E. Badian, p. 87)

The Sound of Silence (Paul Simon)

... And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
No one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools," said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made...

John Stuart Mill: "In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service. Precisely because the tyranny of opinion is such as to make eccentricity a reproach, it is desirable, in order to break through that tyranny, that people should be eccentric. Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigour, and moral courage which it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric, marks the chief danger of the time."

I collect citizenships, Green Cards, and degrees the way others collect trinkets.

Liberals, academics, and parents are among the most benighted people on the planet.