Our achievements speak for themselves. What we have to keep track of are our failures, discouragements and doubts.

Imitation is often a shortcut to a solution. We copy when we lack the inclination, the ability or the time to work out an independent solution. People in a hurry will imitate more readily than people at leisure. Hustling thus tends to produce uniformity. And in the deliberate fusing of individuals into a compact group, incessant action will play a considerable role.

We can never have enough of that which we really do not want.

Retribution often means that we eventually do to ourselves what we have done unto others.

There is a totalitarian regime inside every one of us. We are ruled by a ruthless politburo which sets our norms and drives us from one five-year plan to another. The autonomous individual who has to justify his existence by his own efforts is in eternal bondage to himself.

To have a grievance is to have a purpose in life. It not infrequently happens that those who hunger for hope give their allegiance to him who offers them a grievance.

Naivete in grownups is often charming; but when coupled with vanity it is indistinguishable from stupidity.