Celebrity culture is something that pains me.

I think it is one of the capacities of human beings, to create style.

In general, the Western body has become a global brand.

Public intellectuals come from a range of areas and use their expertise to comment more widely than just their field. They want to make a contribution to public space, and they stick their necks out to do it.

When I was growing up, one or two girls were beautiful, but it was not an aspiration, right?

We accept there's an emotional aspect to life. But we're not very developed in our ways of understanding it.

I'd like to see much more understanding of emotional issues around hurt, abandonment, disappointment, longing, failure and shame, where they stem from and how they drive people and policies brought into public discourse.