Most human activities are predicated on the assumption that life goes on. If you take that premise away, what is there left?

A certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect.

When microorganisms die, they make oil; when huge timbers fall, they make coal. But everything here was pure, unadulterated rubbish that didn't make anything. Where does a busted videodeck get you?

In terms of evolutionary history, it was only yesterday that men learned to walk around on two legs and get in trouble thinking complicated thoughts. So don't worry, you'll burn out.

The best musicians transpose consciousness into sound; painters do the same for color and shape.

This was never any place I was meant to be. This isn’t a place for me.

There are symbolic dreams-- dreams that symbolize some reality. Then there are symbolic realities -- realities that symbolize a dream. Symbols are what you might call the honorary town councillors of the worm universe. In the worm universe, there is nothing unusual about a dairy cow seeking a pair of pliers. A cow is bound to get her pliers sometime. It has nothing to do with me.