People are judged continuously everywhere on the most intimate level by the prices on their head. Most of them accept the judgment. It's very hard to have self-respect, or to maintain a state of creativity under these conditions.

When the people clamor to be shielded from reality, when they praise their government for keeping things from them, when they choose to conduct their lives within the limits of whatever fantasy the government supplies, then they are no longer consenting to be governed, they are begging to be ruled.

The people you have to lie to, own you. The things you have to lie about, own you.

I require and enforce as non-interrupted a state of living as you can get in America right now without going off to live by yourself in the mountains.

Good is not the opposite of evil, joy is the opposite of evil.

There are writers I know and respect who are very good about what's outside, and not too hot about what's inside.

The element of obsession is terribly important for an artist.