The idea of absolute freedom is fiction. It's based on the idea of an independent self. But in fact, there's no such thing. There's no self without other people. There's no self without sunlight. There's no self without dew. And water. And bees to pollinate the food that we eat...So the idea of behaving in a way that doesn't acknowledge those reciprocal relationships is not really freedom, it's indulgence.

I would say 90 percent of my mail and phone calls are from people who want some kind of help or succor or commitment from me to do something.

The self is just not a worthy enough vehicle to worship.

I got out of college and I went to get my master's in creative writing at San Francisco State. I was working as an actor at the Actor's Workshop, being abused as a intern.

Kennedy invited us into the White House-the first time in the history of the White House picketers had been invited inside. This made front page headlines.

Any political agenda and organization which doesn't begin with personal responsibility is just half the argument. It's just not going to succeed.

I think it's good that people value their bodies and take care of them. I think if you cross the line and begin using your body as an asset or as an extension of your vanity, you've gone too far.