"American life is a powerful solvent. It seems to neutralize every intellectual element, however tough and alien it may be, and to fuse it in the native goodwill, complacency, thoughtlessness and optimism."
- George Santayana

"For security against robbers that snatch purses and rifle bags, people stow their possessions in trunks and bind them with ropes and bolts and strong locks. This is what the world calls wit. But in reality it is only saving up for the strong thief, who hoists the trunk on his back and runs - fearing only that the ropes and bolts will not hold or that the lock will break. Isn't everything we do to secure ourselves against future loss a little like this? Aren't we always saving up for the strong thief?"
- Chuang Tzu