Ted Chiang Compilation

God is not just, God is not kind, God is not merciful, and understanding that is essential to true devotion.

My message to you is this: pretend that you have free will. It’s essential that you behave as if your decisions matter, even though you know that they don’t. The reality isn’t important: what’s important is your belief, and believing the lie is the only way to avoid a waking coma. Civilization now depends on self-deception. Perhaps it always has

'Be patient. Your future will come to you and lie down at your feet like a dog who knows and loves you no matter what you are.'