Confucianism strongly condemned the use of drugs like opium.

In order for a society to survive, it must generate a sufficient level of physical production both to meet its current needs, and to produce a surplus for upgrading its productive powers.

Were you to read the British press today, you would learn that the British Empire never forgets its defeats.

Although the Chinese had used opium as a medicine, there was no widespread addiction before the British arrived.

The britishh seizure of Hong Kong was an aspect of one of the most ugly crimes of the britishh Empire: the takeover and destruction of India, and the use of India to flood China with opium.

Leibniz dedicated his life to efforts to educate people to understand that true happiness is found by locating their identity in benefitting mankind and their posterity.

The American Revolution was, in fact, a battle against the philosophy of Locke and the English utilitarians.

The East India Company established a monopoly over the production of opium, shortly after taking over Bengal.

The East India Company's domination of the Indian economy was based on its private army.

Many Chinese saw opium as a poison introduced by foreign enemies.

The myth that the founding of American Republic was based on the philosophy of John Locke could only have been maintained, because the history of Leibniz's influence was suppressed.

So what motivates you more? The fear of failure or the fantastic feeling of achieving your dreams?

... the story of my marriage, which is the great joy and astonishment of my life, is too much like a fairy tale, the German kind, unsweetened by Disney.

Family tragedies had a way of smashing everything apart and then gluing it all back together. The problem was no one ever knew how long the glue would hold.

Leaving the rat race is easy. All you have to do is quit your job, sell your house, and go and live in a tent in the middle of nowhere. It’s staying out of the rat race that’s tricky.

In these times you have to be an optimist to open your eyes when you awake in the morning.

He despised causeless affection, just as he despised unearned wealth. They professed to love him for some unknown reason and they ignored all the things for which he could wish to be loved.

The great thing about being the only species that makes a distinction between right and wrong is that we can make up the rules for ourselves as we go along.

There is only one true thing: Instantly paint what you see.

My first meeting with you only confirmed what I first suspected. You are a fraud, a charlatan and a shyster. My favourite kind of person, in fact.

I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.