You can't talk about truth without talking about learning how to die because it's precisely by learning how to die, examining yourself and transforming your old self into a better self, that you actually live more intensely and critically and abundantly.

Affirmative action is something that I think is very crucial and necessary.

Philosophy is fundamentally about how you come to terms with living your life and trying to do it in a wise manner, and, for me, that means decently and compassionately and courageously and so forth.

John Coltrane was an addict; Billie Holiday was an addict; Eugene O'Neill was an addict. What would America be without addicts and post-addicts who make such grand contributions to our society?

There is something about boldness and fearlessness and being free enough to speak what is on one's mind that warrants freedom.

Barack Obama has domesticated the left in such a way that we feel as if we have no alternative but him...I refuse to accept that.

It's fashionable to be indifferent to other people's suffering