I think [Dalai Lama]is far and away the most solid, deep-thinking, far-sighted politician I've met, and I've been a journalist for 26 years for Time magazine, so I've met a lot of politicians.
Pico IyerGandhi or Bishop Tutu or the Dalai Lama. I think they're really embodiments of what we aspire to and, by keeping them in our heads, we're reminding ourselves of who we could be. That's what we're hoping to climb up towards.
Pico IyerQuitting, for me, means not giving up, but moving on; changing direction not because something doesnโt agree with you, but because you donโt agree with something. Itโs not a complaint, in other words, but a positive choice, and not a stop in oneโs journey, but a step in a better direction. Quitting-whether a job or a habit-means taking a turn so as to be sure youโre still moving in the direction of your dreams.
Pico IyerHe [Dalai Lama] feels, and I feel, and everyone feels the suffering and frustration of the Tibetans who long for action, who long for a militant response. But, in some ways very few of those individuals have ever been in the position of being head of state.
Pico Iyer