Everything that individuals ever say or write can be used against them at a later point.

Since loans are getting more expensive and there's less money available, we're seeing a commensurate decline in growth. Higher costs and lower growth, in turn, translate into lower profits. Figuratively speaking, in the future, we won't be able to run as far or jump as high as we used to.

Asia has an army of low-wage laborers to thank for its economic boom.

Facebook and other social networking sites are bringing together spheres that used to be separate. People no longer have private and public lives; the line between the two is becoming blurred.

It's completely legitimate for a company to continue striving for growth and higher profits. But business activities have to be conducted in a sustainable manner.

Debt is not intrinsically bad. But I make clear to my children that they should only borrow as much as they will be able to pay back.

Enormous forces are affecting the world, and we can't possibly overestimate their importance. These include demographic developments, climate change, digitalization and the rise of Asia. And then there's the most important one: the end of a life lived on credit. We must finally free ourselves from debt.