What is the purpose of life?...To be the eyes and ears and conscience of the Creator of the Universe, you fool!

In 1844, Karl Marx said, "Religion is the opiate of the masses." He said this at a time when opium and opium derivatives were the only painkillers. And he said it helped a little. He might as well have said, "Religion is the aspirin of the people."

Science never cheered up anyone. The truth about the human situation is just too awful.

Do you realize that all great literature is all about what a bummer it is to be a human being? Isn't it such a relief to have somebody say that?

They tell him that there is no why, since the moment simply is and since all of them are trapped in the moment, like bugs in amber.

I go on many thrilling adventures and wondrous, profound escapades through books.

The master of ceremonies asked people to say what they thought the function of the novel might be in modern society, and one critic said, “To provide touches of color in rooms with all-white walls.” Another one said, “To describe blow-jobs artistically.