“[T]he democratic principle of "one man, one vote," viewed against a background of voting masses numbering several millions, only serves to demonstrate the pitiful helplessness of the inarticulate individual, who functions at the polls as the smallest indivisible arithmetical (and not always algebraic) unit. He acts in total anonymity, secrecy and legal irresponsibility.” MenIndividualPrinciplesMillionsMassVoteFunctionDemocraticBackgroundsVotingOne ManSmallestUnitsPollsSecrecyHelplessnessAnonymityPitifulIndivisibleIrresponsibilityInarticulate Author:Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn
“Osama bin Laden, the person, more likely serves the function of a stand-in. Compare the new terrorists with partisans or conventional terrorists in Israel. These people often fight in a decentralized manner in small, autonomous units, too.” PeoplePersonsFightingFunctionIsraelTerroristCompareConventionalUnitsBin LadenPartisansOsama Bin LadenAutonomous Author:Jurgen Habermas
“Even an organization that doesn't do much work internationally will benefit from a culturally intelligent strategy to innovation. Working across different generations, business units, regions, and functions are all factors that can also influence the innovation process.” DifferentProcessGenerationsInfluenceBenefitsOrganizationFunctionIntelligentInnovationStrategyFactorsRegionsUnitsDifferent Generations Author:David Livermore
“Groupings of people that get together, think things through, come out to plan and so on, like unions or true political organizations, they've disintegrated. And people tend to be atomized - you get down to a society based on social units based on an atom - an atomic element - which is a person and their computer. Not a society that is going to be able to function freely and democratically. The tendency is there; it doesn't have to be, but its something to worry about.” PeopleThinkingPersonsAbleTogetherPoliticalSocialWorryPlansElementsComputerOrganizationFunctionUnionsTendenciesAtomsUnitsGet Together Author:Noam Chomsky
“A currency serves three functions: providing a means of payment, a unit of account and a store of value. Gold may be a store of value for wealth, but it is not a means of payment. You cannot pay for your groceries with it. Nor is it a unit of account. Prices of goods and services, and of financial assets, are not denominated in gold terms.” MayMeanValuesThreeTermWealthPayGoldAccountsFunctionFinancialStoresGoodsAssetsProvidingCurrencyUnitsPaymentGroceriesGoods And Services Author:Nouriel Roubini
“The most interesting characteristic of the cube is that it is relatively uninteresting. Compared to any other three-dimensional form, the cube lacks any aggressive force, implies no motion, and is least emotive. Therefore, it is the best form to use as a basic unit for any more elaborate function, the grammatical device from which the work may proceed.” MayUseFormThreeForceInterestingFunctionCharacteristicsDevicesAggressiveUnitsMost InterestingCubes Book:Sol Lewitt: critical texts Source: Sol Lewitt: critical texts
“It is said that it is far more difficult to hold and maintain leadership (liberty) than it is to attain it. Success is a ruthless competitor for it flatters and nourishes our weaknesses and lulls us into complacency. We bask in the sunshine of accomplishment and lose the spirit of humility which helps us visualize all the factors which have contributed to our success. We are apt to forget that we are only one of a team, that in unity there is strength and that we are strong only as long as each unit in our organization functions with precision.” LongSaidHelpingSpiritStrongDifficultLosesLeadershipForgetLibertyTeamHumilityWeaknessOrganizationFunctionUnityFactorsAccomplishmentSunshineUnitsCompetitorsComplacencyRuthlessPrecisionLulls Author:Samuel J. Tilden