The language of pornography is abusive, that of romance adoring. Both are addressed to a fetish.

'Be faithful to your roots' is the liberal version of 'Stay in your ghetto.'

I create my social existence by earning and spending.

Winning means outlasting everyone else.

The psychiatrist's office: the only place I can be sure my story will be treated as sad, but interesting.

In New York, pretending to be above the struggle means no seat on the bus and a table next to the kitchen.

In love, self-love is always at risk.