Chapter 3, Follow The Money, p. 47
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The condensation of all property in the hands of one individual is an economic catastrophe-something like the formation of a black hole in astrophysics. It's obviously bad news for the majority of the people, who are left penniless. But even if you happen to be the big winner, your victory may prove hollow. Although you have all the riches in the world, you can't buy a thing, because no one else has goods to sell.

— Brian Hayes (scientist)

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The condensation of all property in the hands of one individual is an economic catastrophe-something like the formation of a black hole in astrophysics. It's obviously bad news for the majority of the people, who are left penniless. But even if you happen to be the big winner, your victory may prove hollow. Although you have all the riches in the world, you can't buy a thing, because no one else has goods to sell." in the context of "Chapter 3, Follow The Money, p. 47" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Brian Hayes (scientist)" (Quotes, Group Theory in the Bedroom (2008)) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Brian Hayes (scientist)

About Brian Hayes (scientist)

Brian Hayes (born 10 December 1949) is an American scientist, columnist and author. He is a senior writer and regular columnist for the magazine American Scientist, and was editor in chief for the magazine from 1990 to 1992.