Extremists and populist movements are exploiting people's fear of those who are not like us. We can see the consequences in the form of terrorism and racially motivated violence.

Knowledge of other people's beliefs and ways of thinking must be used to build bridges, not to create conflicts.

We have to find compromises. That's the way it is in Norway.

We must never relinquish the vision of a humane society and a humane world.

We have a good life when we manage to live with both satisfied and unsatisfied needs, when we are not obsessed by what is beyond our reach.

Terrorism is contempt for human dignity.

Human dignity is independent of national borders. We must always defend the interests of the poor and the persecuted in other countries.

We must remember that politics is more than a power game. The core of politics in my view is to serve our citizens, to serve our fellow human beings.

Don't believe those who claim that only left wing parties really care about employment.

Unfortunately, religion, like patriotism, is easy to misuse for political purposes.

It is typically Norwegian to be good

The Afghan government is as corrupt as a prostitute with a law degree.

Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration I don't think you can go wrong.

But every historical statement and legitimization itself moves within a certain relation to history.

Argument does not teach children or the immature. Only time and experience does that.

A reminder (Japan's earthquake and tsunami) how flimsy our sophisticated modern world really is

You can't fulfill all the expectations of everyone you know, so you might as well go ahead & disappoint them & get it over with.

It's always gonna be different when I make a record just because I kind of touch on every sort of genre.

I don't think I'm a collector. I think every kid from where I'm from had a terrible passion for having to have fresh kicks.

Self-control might be as passionate and as active as the surrender to passion.