Altruism is masked self-interest. Aggressive self-interest is a masked urge to self-destruction.

Grief is not productive. It simply represents an inefficiency in accepting change of status.

Once, poets were magicians. Poets were strong, stronger than warriors or kings — stronger than old hapless gods. And they will be strong once again.

All it takes to get elected in twenty-first-century America is a mob of frightened sheep and a wolf with a nice smile.

To fight an enemy properly, you have to know what they are. Ignorance is defeat.

It's been a great place to get in touch with what people are really thinking. And to make contact with readers and other writers. Egalitarian, wide open, like the Wild West!

Apocalypse could not be repealed by the democratic process.

Conservatism is not about tradition and morality, hasn't been for many decades... It is about the putative biological and spiritual superiority of the wealthy.

The price of freedom—of individuality—is attention to politics, careful planning, careful organization; philosophy is no more a barrier against political disaster than it is against plague.

There is no war so important that to win it, we must destroy our minds.

Sometimes the problem outshines the pain.

People have the right to criticize you. You do not have the right to criticize anyone.

That belief in Christ is to some a matter of life and death has been a stumbling block for readers who would prefer to think it a matter of no great consequence.

If Nature brought you to it. Nature will get you through it.

What people instinctively regard as cool is real power - consistency. Pathetic is not cool. Being locked in a tragedy, but not knowing it. That's lameness.

But it seems that I can tackle the most esoteric of recipes, the most elusive puff pastry, as long as I do not have to count the empty layers of loneliness building up inside.

A totally befuddled voter may look at a Vote for McGovern sign and do just that.

It is not strange... to mistake change for progress.

I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one. And I believe it could be someday it's going to come.

Well, I don't know what image people have of me.

Sorry men, but I think boys are a little more oblivious in high school. Girls are just more sensitive. We're so concerned about how we look and how we're doing.