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← The moral Machiavelli draws from the Borgias is that we should imitate…
17 connected korrents · 12 moments from 1 Feb 2002 to 14 Oct 2026.
Everything filed under design
design
Everything filed under behavioural science
behavioural science
Everything filed under simplicity
simplicity Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Read this korrent: The moral Machiavelli draws from the Borgias is that we should imitate them: they fell to fortune, not to their choices. The moral Machiavelli draws from the Borgias is that we should imitate them: they fell to fortune, not to their choices. Last stated 4 months ago
16 Jun 2026
AP
Ada Palmer — holds since 2026-06-16 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Advice should follow how people actually live, since acting wholly on professed virtue among so much evil leads to ruin — tap to centre the map on it Advice should follow how people actually live, since acting wholly on professed virtue among so much evil leads to ruin
NM
Niccolò Machiavelli — holds since c. 1513–1514 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Machiavelli held that every institution is gradually corrupted and must be reformed back to its foundations or collapse under the weight of that corruption. — tap to centre the map on it Machiavelli held that every institution is gradually corrupted and must be reformed back to its foundations or collapse under the weight of that corruption. Last stated 4 months ago
16 Jun 2026
AP
Ada Palmer — holds since 2026-06-16 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The word Machiavellian means self-serving, and Machiavelli himself was one of the most selfless men in recorded history. — tap to centre the map on it The word Machiavellian means self-serving, and Machiavelli himself was one of the most selfless men in recorded history. Last stated 4 months ago
16 Jun 2026
AP
Ada Palmer — holds since 2026-06-16 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Cesare Borgia's conquered cities loved him because an outsider with no local faction gave them the first neutral justice they had seen in generations. — tap to centre the map on it Cesare Borgia's conquered cities loved him because an outsider with no local faction gave them the first neutral justice they had seen in generations. Last stated 4 months ago
16 Jun 2026
AP
Ada Palmer — holds since 2026-06-16 — tap for who they are
Same subject: In a world where it's impossible to make purely moral decisions in everything we do, we should all recognize where we're making trade-offs and not try to paint ourselves as being purely logical. — tap to centre the map on it In a world where it's impossible to make purely moral decisions in everything we do, we should all recognize where we're making trade-offs and not try to paint ourselves as being purely logical. Last stated a week ago
14 Oct 2026
MB
Matt Birchler — holds since 2026-10-14 — tap for who they are
Same subject: For Machiavelli a man who can be killed on somebody's word is a slave, and a man protected by a system — however unfair that system is — is free. — tap to centre the map on it For Machiavelli a man who can be killed on somebody's word is a slave, and a man protected by a system — however unfair that system is — is free. Last stated 4 months ago
16 Jun 2026
AP
Ada Palmer — holds since 2026-06-16 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Good design can copy: the greatest masters decide it is more important to be right than original. — tap to centre the map on it Good design can copy: the greatest masters decide it is more important to be right than original. Last stated 25 years ago
1 Feb 2002
PG
Paul Graham — holds since 2002-02-01 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Even on the highest throne a person is only sitting on their own backside; the finest lives keep to the common human model — tap to centre the map on it Even on the highest throne a person is only sitting on their own backside; the finest lives keep to the common human model
MM
Michel de Montaigne — holds since c. 1571–1592 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A belief system combining cosmic stakes, privileged knowledge, personal vocation and an imperative to act can license extraordinary behavior when it conflicts with ordinary constraints. — tap to centre the map on it A belief system combining cosmic stakes, privileged knowledge, personal vocation and an imperative to act can license extraordinary behavior when it conflicts with ordinary constraints. Last stated a month ago
17 Sept 2026
VR
Venkatesh Rao — holds since 2026-09-17 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A cancellation-reason drop-down measures list order rather than reasons: randomise the options and every one of them gets picked equally. — tap to centre the map on it A cancellation-reason drop-down measures list order rather than reasons: randomise the options and every one of them gets picked equally. Last stated 9 months ago
25 Jan 2026
JC
Jason Cohen — holds since 2026-01-25 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A decision cannot be judged by its outcome, because good decisions fail through no fault of the decider and bad ones succeed by luck. — tap to centre the map on it A decision cannot be judged by its outcome, because good decisions fail through no fault of the decider and bad ones succeed by luck. Last stated 4 years ago
9 Aug 2022
GK
Gary Klein — holds since 2022-08-09 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A $1,299, 100-gram pair of slip-on glasses seems far more enticing than a $3,699, 700-gram headset strapped to the face. — tap to centre the map on it A $1,299, 100-gram pair of slip-on glasses seems far more enticing than a $3,699, 700-gram headset strapped to the face. Last stated 4 weeks ago
24 Sept 2026
MS
M.G. Siegler — holds since 2026-09-24 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A baby-step version of eval-driven design is to sketch out 10 to 20 hero flows and run the feature or interaction through them to see where it falls apart. — tap to centre the map on it A baby-step version of eval-driven design is to sketch out 10 to 20 hero flows and run the feature or interaction through them to see where it falls apart. Last stated a month ago
9 Sept 2026
EB
Ed Bayes — holds since 2026-09-09 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A blank chat box is lazy: it violates the first rule of a good user experience, that it is obvious what you can do. — tap to centre the map on it A blank chat box is lazy: it violates the first rule of a good user experience, that it is obvious what you can do. Last stated a year ago
12 May 2025
JZ
Julie Zhuo — holds since 2025-05-12 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A browser works better as a single window than as multiple separate windows. — tap to centre the map on it A browser works better as a single window than as multiple separate windows. Last stated a month ago
15 Sept 2026
CC
Chris Coyier — holds since 2026-09-15 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A business is more likely to fail from taking on too much complexity than from lacking resources. — tap to centre the map on it A business is more likely to fail from taking on too much complexity than from lacking resources. Last stated 8 years ago
29 Sept 2018
TG
Tren Griffin — holds since 2018-09-29 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A business succeeds through a small number of highly effective distribution channels, not many mediocre ones. — tap to centre the map on it A business succeeds through a small number of highly effective distribution channels, not many mediocre ones. Last stated 3 years ago
17 Feb 2024
AW
Adam Wiggins — holds since 2024-02-17 — tap for who they are
At the centre
The moral Machiavelli draws from the Borgias is that we should imitate them: they fell to fortune, not to their choices.
Holds Read this korrent →
Advice should follow how people actually live, since acting wholly on professed virtue among so much evil leads to ruin
Last stated c. 1513–1514
Holds
Machiavelli held that every institution is gradually corrupted and must be reformed back to its foundations or collapse under the weight of that corruption.
Holds
The word Machiavellian means self-serving, and Machiavelli himself was one of the most selfless men in recorded history.
Holds
Cesare Borgia's conquered cities loved him because an outsider with no local faction gave them the first neutral justice they had seen in generations.
Holds
In a world where it's impossible to make purely moral decisions in everything we do, we should all recognize where we're making trade-offs and not try to paint ourselves as being purely logical.
Holds
For Machiavelli a man who can be killed on somebody's word is a slave, and a man protected by a system — however unfair that system is — is free.
Holds
Good design can copy: the greatest masters decide it is more important to be right than original.
Holds
Even on the highest throne a person is only sitting on their own backside; the finest lives keep to the common human model
Last stated c. 1571–1592
Holds
A belief system combining cosmic stakes, privileged knowledge, personal vocation and an imperative to act can license extraordinary behavior when it conflicts with ordinary constraints.
Holds
A cancellation-reason drop-down measures list order rather than reasons: randomise the options and every one of them gets picked equally.
Holds
A decision cannot be judged by its outcome, because good decisions fail through no fault of the decider and bad ones succeed by luck.
Holds
A $1,299, 100-gram pair of slip-on glasses seems far more enticing than a $3,699, 700-gram headset strapped to the face.
Holds
A baby-step version of eval-driven design is to sketch out 10 to 20 hero flows and run the feature or interaction through them to see where it falls apart.
Holds
A blank chat box is lazy: it violates the first rule of a good user experience, that it is obvious what you can do.
Holds
A browser works better as a single window than as multiple separate windows.
Holds
A business is more likely to fail from taking on too much complexity than from lacking resources.
Holds
A business succeeds through a small number of highly effective distribution channels, not many mediocre ones.
Holds