One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny.

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.

An Honest politician will not be tolerated by a democracy unless he is very stupid ... because only a very stupid man can honestly share the prejudices of more than half the nation.

If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years.

We have in fact, two kinds of morality, side by side: one which we preach, but do not practice, and another which we practice, but seldom preach.

The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.

Cruel men believe in a cruel god and use their belief to excuse their cruelty. Only kindly men believe in a kindly god, and they would be kindly in any case.

Is he all right?" Jane asked. "Oh, sure, probably losing a fight against a squirrel, " Angus said. "Or his shadow...

Life is only a long and bitter suicide, and faith alone can transform this suicide into a sacrifice.

I'm irreverent, I'm not politically correct, and I feel that I'm protected in my private life because I live a very public private life.

What's happened is the Republicans have been smart.

He who died for us, and Whom we ought to copy, did more for us than we can do for any one else. He endured the contradiction of sinners. We should have grace to follow in His steps.

We are the hero of our own story.

I had learned something of Miami from people who had visited there, so I knew what to expect.

People will do as they are told by someone who outranks them, but they will only follow someone they believe in.

If the police believed that they were planning any form of resistance against the state, then you were just gone. Nobody knew where you were, and you just hoped to see that family member again.

I loved Batman, don't get me wrong, but that kind of mindless violence is not good for young children.