When blended with sexuality, the death instinct is transformed into more harmless impulses expressed in sadism or masochism.

What is common to our societies is the development into a managed mass society, with big bureaucracy, managing people. The Russians do it by force. We do it by persuasion.

Once they are through the process of education, most people lose the capacity of wondering, of being surprised. They feel they ought to know everything, and hence that it is a sign of ignorance to be surprised or puzzled by anything.

I would say, compared with the 19th century, compared with most previous history, this is as good or better a society than any which man has ever made. But that doesn't mean it is such a good one.

Man can never stand still. He must find solutions to this contradiction, and ever better solutions to the extent to which reality enables him.

If one is not productive in other spheres, one is not productive in the love either.

Exclusive love is a contradiction in itself.