Everyone in Iran is perceived to be a child with a paternal authority vested in the Guardian Council and the Sufi elders. They're supposed to be grateful. They can never for a moment not be afforded this wonderful protection. The father who will never go away. The father who will never quit caring for them.

I've proved to be as difficult to convert as I am to hypnotize.

To the dumb question, 'Why me?' the cosmos barely bothers to return the reply, 'Why not?'

It's amazing how relaxing it is not to claim you know more than you do. I'm surprised that those who claim to speak in the name of god don't take more advantage of this relief.

The concept of loneliness and exile and self-sufficiency continually bucks me up.

I don't have any terrific self-esteem issues but I do sometimes realise I've been too lucky and that I'm over-praised. It makes me nervous. I have this sense of being overrated.

The essence of tyranny is not iron law. It is capricious law.