Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: this triptych succinctly defines the attractiveness and superiority of Western civilization.

I maintain that Western popular culture at its best is worthy of respect and should be cherished as much as the operas of Wagner.

The idea that the West was economically successful because of slavery, it's just nonsense.

You can't grow up without taking a few knocks on the way. All parents know that, but children when they're growing up, they take some knocks, and nasty knocks sometimes if they've been too protected.

I think forgiveness plays a very important part in Western society and it comes from the Judeo Christian heritage.

Discussions of Western civilization are too often confined to works of high art that reflect a relatively narrow element of public taste and experience.

It is the West that has liberated women, racial minorities, religious minorities, and gays and lesbians, recognizing and defending their rights. The notions of freedom and human rights were present at the dawn of Western civilization, as ideals at least, but have gradually come to fruition through supreme acts of self-criticism.