The quality of ideas seems to play a minor role in mass movement leadership. What counts is the arrogant gesture, the complete disregard of the opinion of others, the singlehanded defiance of the world.

To make of human affairs a coherent, precise, predictable whole one must ignore or suppress man as he really is. It is by eliminating man from their equation that the makers of history can predict the future, and the writers of history can give a pattern to the past.

There is always a chance that he who sets himself up as his brother's keeper will end up by being his jail-keeper.

It is the stretched soul that makes music, and souls are stretched by the pull of opposites-opposite bents, tastes, yearnings, loyalties. Where there is no polarity-where energies flow smoothly in one direction-there will be much doing but no music.

Where freedom is real, equality is the passion of the masses. Where equality is real, freedom is the passion of a small minority.

When people are bored it is primarily with themselves.

Those in possession of absolute power can not only prophesy and make their prophecies come true, but they can also lie and make their lies come true.