[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f6taFKDrhoQa0f5r4wKreItwtpld-5tpituQrwzF_CIE":3,"$fHbrTizg7TmkiPu5s-O30G79rTJ2KlCgRMt41hrjSvxM":24},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},115552,"Alex Berenson","A",154,null,"alex-berenson",[12,16,20],{"tag_id":13,"tag_name":14,"tag_count":15},9469,"companies",8,{"tag_id":17,"tag_name":18,"tag_count":19},6610,"buy",7,{"tag_id":21,"tag_name":22,"tag_count":23},7594,"banks",6,{"quotes":25,"pagination":88},[26,33,39,45,51,57,63,69,75,81],{"id":27,"quote_text":28,"author_id":5,"source_id":19,"has_image":29,"author":30,"source":31,"quote_tag":32,"commentary":9},3534313,"Predicting the market is always tough.",false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":34,"quote_text":35,"author_id":5,"source_id":19,"has_image":29,"author":36,"source":37,"quote_tag":38,"commentary":9},3534094,"Plumbing is usually boring.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":40,"quote_text":41,"author_id":5,"source_id":19,"has_image":29,"author":42,"source":43,"quote_tag":44,"commentary":9},3534000,"I know it's a cliche, but trust me on this. I once dated a Canadian. Canada = boring.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":46,"quote_text":47,"author_id":5,"source_id":19,"has_image":29,"author":48,"source":49,"quote_tag":50,"commentary":9},3533985,"Even technology companies get good news sometimes.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":52,"quote_text":53,"author_id":5,"source_id":23,"has_image":29,"author":54,"source":55,"quote_tag":56,"commentary":9},2833077,"Marijuana use was more likely to be linked with the death of children than almost any other factor, including domestic violence or mental illness. Once again, researchers who weren’t looking for evidence that cannabis was linked to violence found it anyway.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":58,"quote_text":59,"author_id":5,"source_id":23,"has_image":29,"author":60,"source":61,"quote_tag":62,"commentary":9},2833075,"In August, Dr. Jerome Adams, the United States Surgeon General, warned about the risks of cannabis for young adults – explicitly noting the cannabis-schizophrenia link.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":64,"quote_text":65,"author_id":5,"source_id":23,"has_image":29,"author":66,"source":67,"quote_tag":68,"commentary":9},2833070,"Afternoon. I’m Rick. What can I do you for today?” “Put the preposition in the right place.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":70,"quote_text":71,"author_id":5,"source_id":23,"has_image":29,"author":72,"source":73,"quote_tag":74,"commentary":9},2833059,"Always wrong but never in doubt.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":76,"quote_text":77,"author_id":5,"source_id":23,"has_image":29,"author":78,"source":79,"quote_tag":80,"commentary":9},2833040,"The most distinguishing element of my novels is that I try as hard as I can – within the context of a popular commercial thriller – to make them feel authentic. Drawing on real locations and real events is part of that authenticity.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":82,"quote_text":83,"author_id":5,"source_id":23,"has_image":29,"author":84,"source":85,"quote_tag":86,"commentary":87},2833035,"In a democracy, a politician who didn’t know where he stood might lose an election. In Russia, he’d lose everything.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nAlex Berenson, the author of this quote, wrote it in the context of his novel \"The Ghost War\" (2007), which explores the world of espionage and geopolitics. The quote reflects Berenson's fascination with the differences between democratic and authoritarian societies, particularly the Russian Federation under Vladimir Putin's leadership. During this time, Berenson was researching and writing about the complexities of international politics and the moral ambiguities of espionage.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound paradox: in a democracy, a politician's uncertainty is a personal failing that can lead to electoral defeat, whereas in an authoritarian regime, such uncertainty is a fatal flaw that can result in the loss of everything – including one's life. This dichotomy highlights the stark contrast between the personal and professional risks associated with political power in democratic versus authoritarian systems.\n\n**How to Use This**\nWhen navigating complex, high-stakes situations, consider the \"authoritarian factor\" – the potential consequences of being perceived as uncertain or weak in a system where power is concentrated and ruthless. To mitigate this risk, prioritize clarity of purpose and conviction, even if it means shouldering the burden of responsibility for your decisions.",{"currentPage":89,"totalPages":90,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":91},1,16,10]