“Historians often do not mention the truly important features of daily life, like games, concentrating instead on tedious political maneuvering.”

“Japan possesses the vitality and concentrated energies of a nation which has not yet reached its zenith. That energy is one of the most striking features of Japan. It is visible everywhere, in everyone; the old and the young, the workmen, the women, the children, the students, all … display in their daily life the most wonderful storage of concentrated energy.”

“If education is truly the key. Then let's all of us become socialists and struggle to make it free to all, instead of making it expensive daily.”

“Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important.”

“When we truly need to do is often what we most feel like avoiding.”

“In a time of social fragmentation, vulgarity becomes a way of life. To be shocking becomes more important - and often more profitable - than to be civil or creative or truly original.”

“Instead of licking the boots of the rich people and bowing before them daily—We can stop doing that by simply knowing our worth in life.”

“It's very important to decode your own messages, like saying "I feel angry" instead of kicking the cat, and people who learn to do this find they are misunderstood less often and, as a fringe benefit, are clawed by fewer cats.”

“In the long run, global politics are bound to become increasingly uncongenial to the concentration of hegemonic power in the hands of a single state. Hence America is not only the first, as well as the only, truly global superpower, but is also likely to be the very last.”

“In future, Clarissa," he said, "it might be wise to mention that you already have a man in your bed, to avoid such tedious situations.”