I never intended to be a politician or office-seeker.

By the time I returned to Czechoslovakia, I had an understanding of the principles of the market.

I was paid to read Western economic texts. In a way, the regime paid for their own undermining.

What is concisely referred to as global warming, is a fatal mistake of the present time.

The largest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity, is no longer socialism. It is, instead, the ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous ideology of environmentalism.

You cannot have democratic accountability in anything bigger than a nation state.

"not a scientific body capable of accurately assessing the facts about global warming".

Environmentalism is a dangerous ideology endangering human freedom.

I also helped write the five-page statement of principles that Civic Forum issued in late November. That was the first public expression of what the new government wanted to do.

I don't think there is any global warming. I don't see the statistical data for that.

Then in 1969, I spent the spring term at Cornell University in New York. The invasion of August 1968 had already happened, but the hardline regime took several months to crack down on dissidents.

The world is a garden of philosophy. God is its gardener

You're never going to walk around fear. You're only going to walk through it. I have to do all those things I am afraid of, but I do them constantly renewing my mind.

I wish, he thinks, spoken words could be captured and kept in a locket.

Following the rules only takes you so far, sooner or later you have to forget them and play by your heart.

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.

I only write about stuff I know. I don't have a lot of experience with boys and stuff so I write a lot of songs about interesting and strange subjects that people wouldn't write songs about.

Your ability to face setbacks and disappointments without giving up will be the measure of your ability to succeed.

Everything in moderation - that's what I live by.

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.

I don't want to be someone's entertainment.