Growing up in Pakistan in the 1980s, I lived in the shadow of a tyrannical state.

Childbirth changed my perception of my wife. She was now the bloodied special forces soldier who had fought and risked everything for our family.

Islam is not a race, yet Islamophobia partakes of racist characteristics.

Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.

It seems an obvious thing to say, but you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorists, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins.

I think sometimes feeling that you've been marginalized opens you up to the realization that, in their own lives, almost everyone experiences marginalization, a kind of foreigner sense.

All human stories are migration stories because everyone is a refugee from their own childhood.

Time only moves in one direction. Remember that. Things always change.

I think massive migration is inevitable. As sea levels rise, as climate change happens, as fertile fields become arid, as wars are fought, people are going to move. They always have.

When the uncertain future becomes the past, the past in turn becomes uncertain.

It's important to have a non-nostalgic view and say, let's look forward, because if we don't, all we'll hear are voices telling us to go back.

Theory of public goods. Theory that if I take you euro (as an elected state government) and give fifty cents back... you will be happier and I will be satisfied.

Rationality squeezes out much that is rich and juicy and fascinating.

All you have to do to be a camera actor is tell the truth.

Sickness and disease are a change in awareness from comfort to discomfort.

Do you think there'd be a Givenchy in the hood if it wasn't for that South Park photo?

The goal of good health is to enable a person to acquire wisdom.

I was 160lbs when I started and I went up to 195lbs. There were no steroids. But it was hard work, dedication, hitting the gym. You kind of see it.

The people fancy they hate poetry, and they are all poets and mystics.

I was a real daydreamer at school, gazing out of the window and losing myself in imaginary worlds.

Ah, tell them they are men!