The idea of a good society is something you do not need a religion and eternal punishment to buttress; you need a religion if you are terrified of death.
Gore VidalA superficial education would be worse than none. But a full education would open every man's eyes to the nature of human existence.
Gore VidalThe United States is my subject, but as Hawthorne once wrote, "the United States are suited for many admirable purposes, but not to live in."
Gore VidalSex was a great no-no for Americans, so that was obviously an attraction to the writers, and since sex is a great part of most people's lives, it's a great subject.
Gore VidalAlthough drugs are immoral and must be kept from the young, thousands of schools pressure parents to give the drug Ritalin to any lively child who may, sensibly, show signs of boredom in his classroom. Ritalin renders the child docile if not comatose. Side effects? "Stunted growth, facial tics, agitation and aggression, insomnia, appetite loss, headaches, stomach pains and seizures." Marijuana would be far less harmful.
Gore Vidal