Truth is not by nature free - nor error servile - but that its production is thoroughly imbued with relations of power.

'The prison' begins well before its doors. It begins as soon as you leave your house - and even before.

People know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but what they don't know is what what they do does.

People will be surprised at the eagerness with which we went aboutpretending to rouse from its slumber a sexuality which every­thing-our discourses, our customs, our institutions, our regulations, our knowledges-was busy producing in the light of day and broadcasting to noisy accompaniment.

My point is not that everything is bad, but that everything is dangerous, which is not exactly the same as bad. If everything is dangerous, then we always have something to do. So my position leads not to apathy but to hyper - and pessimistic - activism.

What desire can be contrary to nature since it was given to man by nature itself?

Nature, keeping only useless secrets, had placed within reach and in sight of human beings the things it was necessary for them to know.