I have a deep suspicion of social institutions and tradition in general.

Experience as much as you can and absorb a lot of reality. Otherwise, your writing will have the force of a Wiffle ball.

If there's reason for hope, it lies in man's occasional binges of cooperation. To save our planet, we'll need that kind of heroic effort, in which all types of people join forces for the common good

I have nothing but respect for the purist who won't work for the pharaoh. But I'm not that strong.

There's a built-up tension in religion, and if you can release it, you'll get a huge and satisfying laugh.

Every joke can't be dazzling. And if you think you spotted an inconsistency, you did!

I was brought up Catholic and, of course, I strayed and repudiated it. That's a painful thing to go through, because you have to look back and realize that you wasted a gigantic chunk of your life.

There's absolutely no way that something I do on my own is going to be seen in Malaysia.

I resisted parenthood for a long, long time. But having a daughter has given me a sense of hopefulness that I didn't have before.

Clever is the eunuch version of funny.

I don't like the antagonism that most religions have for science, and freedom and, frankly, individuality. I do like the Dalai Lama.

The greatest gift you can ever give is yourself.

Some stories stayed with you even when you wanted to forget them.

Anybody can claim to be a member of the ALF when rescuing animals, destroying "tools of torture" (such as research equipment) or financially depleting a corporation that abuses animals.

We were never there to begin with. What we are, or conceive of ourselves as, is a perception.

In some ways I'm very structured.

For hundreds of years Iranians have been migrating to many parts of the world. They took Islamic culture to other parts of the world and established it there.

You must become what you want to attract.

The U.S. has dominated and continues to dominate the society and thus products and brands activating fear - and subsequently removing fear are selling substantially better than in other countries.

Who's going to save rock 'n' roll? It's so silly. Remember like in '86 or '87 and synthesizers were going to take over the world? And remember "rocktronica" in 1997? It's ridiculous.

Once our hearts are open, all existence appears naturally beautiful and harmonious.