There is a certain solipsism to serious illness which claims all of one's attention as certainly as an astronomical black hole seizes anything unlucky enough to fall within its critical radius.

We are not the only avatars of humanity. Once our computing machines achieved self-consciousness, they became part of this design.

The sum of the crowd's IQ was far below that of its most modest single member. Mobs have passions, not brains.

Nobody gets beyond a petroleum economy. Not while there's petroleum there.

Nothing helps an artist's career more than a little death and obscurity.

The never-ending competition between writers hasn't changed between 1868 and 2000. I used to belong to writers' workshops with other professionals, but that becomes impossible after a while. Everyone's on a different step of the career ladder. Jealousy doesn't have to erupt into murder and burying someone in Wells Cathedral, but it is always there.

In such seconds of decision entire futures are made.