Being able to provoke a different point of view to the standard current ideological or political perspective as played out in conventional newspaper or radio reportage is what a public intellectual does. But it's not merely about being oppositional, because that's too negative.

Consumer society tantalises us. We then try within ourselves to control the needs that are being constantly stimulated.

... within every form of oppression lies the seeds of liberation.

The parents' job is to be there for their kids, not the other way round. Troubles between parents need to be talked through with friends and not visited on the children.

Emotional Literacy means being able to recognise what you are feeling, so that it doesn't interfere with thinking. It becomes another dimension to draw upon when making decisions or encountering situations. Emotional expression by contrast can mean being driven by emotions, so that it isn't possible to think. These two things are often confused, because we are still uncomfortable with the idea of the validity of feelings.

I'm the sort of person who likes to undo everything.

If I were afraid of wrinkles, I'd probably be hiding in a cupboard, because I have a lot of them.