The voice of reason is small, but very persistent.

It must be pointed out, however, that strictly speaking it is incorrect to talk of the dominance of the pleasure principle over the course of mental processes. If such a dominance existed, the immense majority of our mental processes would have to be accompanied by pleasure or to lead to pleasure, whereas universal experience completely contradicts any such conclusion.

It is impossible to overlook the extent to which civilization is built upon a renunciation of instinct.

What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.

If you want your wife to listen to you, then talk to another woman; she will be all ears.

No, our science is no illusion. But an illusion it would be to suppose that what science cannot give us we can get elsewhere.

We have become convinced that it is better to avoid such symbolic disguisings of the truth in what we tell children and not to withhold from them a knowledge of the true state of affairs commensurate with their intellectual level.