https://blog.samaltman.com/successful-people
"Successful people create companies. More successful people create countries. The most successful people create religions." I heard this from Qi Lu; I'm not sure what the source is. It got me...
From Sam Altman's blog, pre-OpenAI
The moster successfullest implement eugenics. The mostest successfullest peoplest createst fascest ethnostatest
Yes, although the veracity of the quote is uncertain; see here for discussion. This is the commonly-cited form that you'll find all over the Internet:
Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man wants to make a million dollars, then the best way would be to start his own religion.~ Lafayette Ron Hubbard
IIRC, it wasn’t Hubbard who said this, but Ayn Rand, who, at a cocktail party, bet him that he couldn’t start a religion and make money from it.
The number of people who created countries can be counted on one hand, especially if they're successful.
Simon Bolivar helped a lot of people do it, but did not reap much material reward for doing so, apart from being a rich criollo to begin with.
Napoleon famously redrew the map of Europe, and most people would call him successful in many regards. Sama having a Napoleon complex would be on brand.
Any other examples ?
