Self-preservation is the central aim of all life-activities.

Social laughter is momentary, soon burns itself out and passes away like the fire and smokes of straw, but genius shakes the very skies with its lasting, inextinguishable laughter.

Suggestibility varies as the amount of disaggregation, and inversely as the unification of consciousness.

The course of evolution is to a greater integration of similarly functioning ganglia.

Psychology must postulate uniformity of interrelation of physical, physiological, and psychic processes.

The recognition, the diagnosis, and the preservation of psychopathic individuals account for the apparent increase of neurotics in civilized communities.

Not purpose but chance is at the heart of mental life.

Mental synthesis of psychic content in the unity of a moment-consciousness is a fundamental principle of psychology.

The main source of psychopathic diseases is the fundamental instinct of fear with its manifestations, the feeling of anxiety, anguish, and worry.

The principle of recognition of evil under all its guises is at the basis of the true education of man.

The man of genius whether as artist or thinker requires a mass of accidental variations to select from and a rigidly selective process of attention.

I want my writing to bring people not just to think of "trees" as they mostly do now, but of each individual tree, and each kind of tree.

I only need a mirror to see a sinner.

Sin cannot be conceived in a natural state, but only in a civil state, where it is decreed by common consent what is good or bad.

It's important to me that I look good on television because, let's face it, I'm single, and you want somebody to watch the show and fall in love with you

I am not one of these guys who works job after job after job.

One must not mistake majority for truth.

It keeps eternal whisperings around desolate shores

I know you want it, boy. I see you tryin. Just keep on pushin, I'm a let you slide in.

I have a scholar's love of silence and solitude. To sit and pass hour after hour in idle chatter with a roomful of strangers is to me the worst sort of torment.

Growing up is scary because it happens without you knowing it.