I think the story is the most ancient form of human entertainment.

Any society's upper-crust is riddled with immorality, how else d'you think they keep their power? Reputation is king of the public sphere, not private. It is dethroned by public acts.

Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies, an' tho' a cloud's shape nor hue nor size don't stay the same, it's still a cloud an' so is a soul. Who can say where the cloud's blowed from or who the soul'll be 'morrow? Only Sonmi the east an' the west an' the compass an' the atlas, yay, only the atlas o' clouds.

The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.

Gosh. The subjunctive is always the first to go.

Once any tyranny becomes accepted as ordinary, its victory is assured.

Wars are never cured, they just go into remission for a few years.