Freedom may be a value in politics, but it is not a value in morals.

Only lies and evil come from letting people off.

Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at one's luck.

The notion that one will not survive a particular catastrophe is, in general terms, a comfort since it is equivalent to abolishing the catastrophe.

I am not famous for anything in particular. I am just famous.

Real misery cuts off all paths to itself.

we are such inward secret creatures, that inwardness the most amazing thing about us, even more amazing than our reason. but we cannot just walk into the cavern and look around. most of what we think we know about our minds is pseudo-knowledge. we are all such shocking poseurs, so good at inflating the importance of what we think we value.